Intravenous sedation is a concept readily grasped by anesthesia providers, but perhaps not so easily comprehended by their clinical colleagues. While it seems like a clear and concise description, the many other terms often used in association with it - "monitored anesthesia care" (also known as "MAC anesthesia"), "conscious sedation," "twilight sleep," "light general" and so on - can create misleading ideas of what this simple expression is intended to convey. The net effect of so many names for the same concept can place anesthesia providers at the intersection of clinical practice and patient care politics. Here's a definition of what IV sedation really is, and what it means.