Sedation for medical procedures is provided in a variety of clinical settings by medical personnel with differing levels of education and training. Although generally a safe practice, there is a degree of morbidity and mortality associated with sedation practice. Monitoring standards continue to be refined by professional societies with the goal of improving care. The depth of sedation should be monitored with clinical criteria. Processed electroencephalographic monitors currently do not contribute significantly to sedation care. Monitoring ventilation using pulse oximetry should be abandoned for more direct methods, such as capnography-transcutaneous carbon dioxide, respiratory acoustical and thoracic impedance monitoring could also play a role. Propofol has become widely utilized for sedation, although there are concerns about its margin of safety and synergistic interactions with other agents. Dexmedetomidine and propofol/ketamine also have utility. Patient-controlled sedation pumps and target-controlled infusion devices have been developed to improve patient care and satisfaction. A computer-assisted propofol sedation device to be used by non-anaesthesiologists has been approved in the USA by the Food and Drug Administration. More computer-assisted sedation delivery devices are likely to be developed, but their clinical utility is unclear.