Plain-English translation of NCT04289142 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated · Translation generated · How we translate trials
Phase 4 — The treatment has already been approved. Researchers are tracking how it works in a large number of people over time.
After heart surgery, some patients experience confusion, memory problems, or difficulty thinking clearly—sometimes for months. This trial is testing dexmedetomidine, a sedative medication, to see if it can protect your brain and memory during and after surgery. Researchers believe this medication may help you recover your thinking skills faster and more completely.
Studies in animals have shown that this medication may reduce confusion after surgery and protect memory, but doctors need to know if it actually helps real patients. By testing it in people having heart surgery, researchers hope to find a way to prevent or lessen the thinking and memory problems that sometimes follow surgery.
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You will be randomly assigned to receive either the study medication or standard sedation after your heart surgery. If you receive the study medication, you'll get it through an IV for up to 12 hours while recovering in the intensive care unit. You'll also complete memory and thinking tests before surgery and at 3, 6, and 12 months afterward to see how well your brain recovers.
AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 22, 2026 · Not medical advice
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