Dexmedetomidine to Reduce the Incidence of POCD After Open Cardiac Surgery

Dexmedetomidine will be initiated prior to transfer to the CVICU with loading dose of 1 ug kg-1 over approximately 20 minutes. This will be followed by an infusion at 0.1-1.0 ug kg-1h-1 in CVICU for up to 24 hours from the time DEX infusion started or until the patient is ready for discharge from the CVICU (whichever is earlier).