Anesthetic agents in moderate sedation — propofol, ketamine and nitrous oxide — side by side, as their own monographs state them. Figures are for the IV route unless the monograph gives another; open a monograph for dosing detail, adverse reactions and cautions.
| Agent | Route | Onset | Peak | Duration | Adult dose (as stated) | Reversal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Propofol (Diprivan) | IV | 40 seconds | 1 minute | 5–10 minutes | 25–50 mg (0.5–1 mg/kg) IV, in 10 mg increments over several minutes | None — no pharmacologic reversal agent |
| Ketamine (Ketalar) | IV | Under 60 seconds | 5–10 minutes | 5–15 minutes | 0.25–1.0 mg/kg, based on response; infusion no faster than 50 mcg/kg/min | — |
| Nitrous oxide (Kalinox) | — | 2–3 minutes | Dose dependent | 15–30 minutes | Titrate to effect | None |
Every figure above is taken from the linked monograph on this site; a dash means the monograph does not state it. Verify all doses against the current package insert and your facility protocols before clinical use.
Propofol (Diprivan)
Propofol acts and wears off the fastest of the three, with no active metabolites to prolong recovery — but it also has no reversal agent, so its respiratory and cardiovascular depression is managed by dose and monitoring alone, not undone with a drug.
Ketamine (Ketalar)
Ketamine is almost always the adjunct here, added at a low, sub-dissociative dose to reduce how much propofol or opioid a case needs, or to blunt a painful step — not run as the primary sedative on its own.
Nitrous oxide (Kalinox)
Nitrous oxide is the lightest of the three and the only one the patient breathes rather than receives by injection, which is why it is titrated moment to moment and clears within minutes once the mask comes off.
Educational reference for sedation providers, relocated from the previous version of this site — not a substitute for the current package insert, your facility protocols, or clinical judgment. Verify all doses against current references before clinical use.