Joseph F. Dasta, MSc, FCCM, discusses his article published in the February 2010 issue of Critical Care Medicine, titled “A Cost Minimization Analysis of Dexmedetomidine Compared with Midazolam for Long-Term Sedation in the Intensive Care Unit.” His study compared the costs and determined factors influencing these costs, finding that continuous sedation with dexmedetomidine results in significantly lower costs, primarily due to decreased length of stay and reduced ventilator days. Dasta is an adjunct professor at the University of Texas College of Pharmacy and professor emeritus at The Ohio State University. He serves as a member of SCCM Council and has been an integral leader within the Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology Section. In 2010, he was awarded with the American College of Critical Care Medicine’s Distinguished Investigator Award.
