Conscious sedation is a combination of medicine to help you relax (a sedative) and another medicine to block pain (an anesthetic). You will probably stay awake and be able to respond to people during a medical or dental procedure. You should not need help with your breathing.

Conscious sedation lets you recover quickly and return to your everyday activities soon after your procedure.

A nurse, doctor, or dentist, will give you conscious sedation in the hospital or outpatient clinic. Most of the time, it will not be an anesthesiologist. The medicine will wear off quickly, so it is used for short, uncomplicated procedures.

You may receive the medicine through an intravenous line (IV, in a vein) or a shot into a muscle. You will begin to feel drowsy and relaxed very quickly. If your doctor gives you the medicine to swallow, you will feel the effects after about 30 to 60 minutes.

Your breathing will slow down, and your blood pressure may drop a little. Your nurse or doctor will monitor you every 3 to 5 minutes during your procedure to make sure you are okay. You may receive extra oxygen through a mask or IV fluids through a catheter (tube) into a vein.

You may fall asleep, but you will wake up easily to respond to people in the room. After conscious sedation, you may feel drowsy and not remember much about your procedure.

Conscious sedation is safe and effective for patients who need minor surgery or a procedure to diagnose a condition.

Some of the tests and procedures conscious sedation is used for are:

• Breast biopsy
• Vasectomy
• Minor foot surgery
• Minor bone fracture repair
• Plastic or reconstructive surgery
• Dental prosthetic or reconstructive surgery
• Endoscopy (such as procedures to diagnose and treat some stomach, colon, and bladder conditions)