More Awake Than Expected: Surprising Awareness Found in Sedated Patients
Going under anesthesia feels like instantly plunging into darkness, right? New Australian research suggests otherwise—finding 1 in 10 younger surgical patients briefly hover at more of a dimmer switch level. Scientists discovered a significant portion of 18-40-year-olds remain responsive despite sedative IV drips supposedly inducing foolproof unconsciousness. Startlingly, the phenomenon showed higher in women subjects monitored during routine preparatory phases. They reacted to verbal commands from doctors far more than expected before amnesia set in from subsequent anesthetic stages. The study indicates wider problems of “connected consciousness” where patients hover reactively inside supposed oblivion states. The research uncovers an awareness
November 28, 2023