Posters
Presenting Author Academic/Professional Position
Lois Faith Baldado
Academic Level (Author 1)
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 2)
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 3)
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 4)
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 5)
Medical Student
Discipline Track
Biomedical Science
Abstract Type
Research/Clinical
Abstract
Background: Propofol and midazolam are routinely used as general anesthetics to enable optimal working conditions during surgical procedures. However, new evidence suggests their potential neurotoxic side effects in young pediatric and geriatric patients, such as long-term morphological and functional brain changes. Remimazolam, an intravenous anesthetic that was initially approved for general adult anesthesia by the FDA in 2020, gained attention for its potential in pediatric anesthesia [2]. Furthermore, the favorable safety profile of remimazolam may contribute to reducing the incidence of postoperative complications in pediatric and elderly populations [6]. This abstract aims to provide a current analysis of remimazolam: its mechanism of action, roles in various patient populations, and comparison with propofol and midazolam. We will add an additional section on the development of newer anesthetics, the “soft” GABAA receptor agonists, that display improvements and different characteristics from remimazolam for the research symposium [5].
Methods: A literature review was conducted to assess the cellular drug action, clinical utilization, advantages, disadvantages, and long-term effects of remimazolam. Peer-reviewed studies from PubMed, Google Scholar, and OpenEvidence were compiled for current information of the drug. Characteristics of remimazolam were compared to propofol and midazolam. Visual diagrams to compare the anesthetics were constructed through Biorender with a publication license.
Results: Studies conveyed the improved safety profile and reduced adverse effects with remimazolam over propofol in operative care. A 2023 meta-analysis of 12 clinical trials displayed the lower potential for respiratory depression and bradycardia with remimazolam [1]. Remimazolam also displays potential pharmacokinetic advantage over midazolam for liver cirrhosis patients and bronchoscopies [3, 4]. In a prospective, randomized clinical trial, remimazolam achieved sedation more rapidly and faster recovery to full alertness compared to midazolam [3].
Conclusion: Our study finds the significant clinical advantages of remimazolam in patients with comorbid conditions and enhanced safety profile under preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care. The broad applicability of remimazolam in a variety of surgeries, including neurosurgery and obstetrics surgeries, as well as the significant clinical advantage of this drug in contrast to propofol and midazolam are revealed in several studies. Moving forward, we would like to publish our findings in a short review to a peer-reviewed journal to promote further understanding of remimazolam. Future studies should explore remimazolam’s potential in combination with other sedatives and dosing regimens for pediatric patients.
Presentation Type
Poster
Recommended Citation
Baldado, Lois F.; Ybanez, Kaitlyn; Ramos, Daniela; Sta Maria, David; Bellamkonda, Arjun; Ibrahim, Amin; Zamarron, Hugo; Gonzalez, Daniela; Phillip, Angel; Gullapalli, Sriya; Li, Linwei; Torres, Jocelyn; Karithara, Annu; Escamilla, Jennifer; Yang, Phyllis; and Mito, Shizue, "Remimazolam: Insight on Cellular Drug Action, Clinical Utilization, and Comparison to Well Known Anesthetics" (2025). Research Colloquium. 59.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/colloquium/2025/posters/59
Included in
Remimazolam: Insight on Cellular Drug Action, Clinical Utilization, and Comparison to Well Known Anesthetics
Background: Propofol and midazolam are routinely used as general anesthetics to enable optimal working conditions during surgical procedures. However, new evidence suggests their potential neurotoxic side effects in young pediatric and geriatric patients, such as long-term morphological and functional brain changes. Remimazolam, an intravenous anesthetic that was initially approved for general adult anesthesia by the FDA in 2020, gained attention for its potential in pediatric anesthesia [2]. Furthermore, the favorable safety profile of remimazolam may contribute to reducing the incidence of postoperative complications in pediatric and elderly populations [6]. This abstract aims to provide a current analysis of remimazolam: its mechanism of action, roles in various patient populations, and comparison with propofol and midazolam. We will add an additional section on the development of newer anesthetics, the “soft” GABAA receptor agonists, that display improvements and different characteristics from remimazolam for the research symposium [5].
Methods: A literature review was conducted to assess the cellular drug action, clinical utilization, advantages, disadvantages, and long-term effects of remimazolam. Peer-reviewed studies from PubMed, Google Scholar, and OpenEvidence were compiled for current information of the drug. Characteristics of remimazolam were compared to propofol and midazolam. Visual diagrams to compare the anesthetics were constructed through Biorender with a publication license.
Results: Studies conveyed the improved safety profile and reduced adverse effects with remimazolam over propofol in operative care. A 2023 meta-analysis of 12 clinical trials displayed the lower potential for respiratory depression and bradycardia with remimazolam [1]. Remimazolam also displays potential pharmacokinetic advantage over midazolam for liver cirrhosis patients and bronchoscopies [3, 4]. In a prospective, randomized clinical trial, remimazolam achieved sedation more rapidly and faster recovery to full alertness compared to midazolam [3].
Conclusion: Our study finds the significant clinical advantages of remimazolam in patients with comorbid conditions and enhanced safety profile under preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care. The broad applicability of remimazolam in a variety of surgeries, including neurosurgery and obstetrics surgeries, as well as the significant clinical advantage of this drug in contrast to propofol and midazolam are revealed in several studies. Moving forward, we would like to publish our findings in a short review to a peer-reviewed journal to promote further understanding of remimazolam. Future studies should explore remimazolam’s potential in combination with other sedatives and dosing regimens for pediatric patients.
