Editorial I

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Abstract
Resurgence in interest in α2‐adrenergic agonists has been fuelled by the emergence of dexmedetomidine, the latest α2‐agonist to be developed. Recently licensed in the USA, it has prompted many to re‐examine more closely the workings of this fascinating class of drug and thereby its clinical applications. Clonidine, the prototype α2‐agonist, was originally developed in the early 1970s for its potential use as a nasal decongestant. It rapidly found favour as a useful anti‐hypertensive agent;1 however, with the advent of the ACE inhibitors and more selective β‐adrenergic antagonists, clonidine has been relegated to no better than a third line alternative for this purpose. It has, however, remained an intriguing compound that has been shown to be efficacious in a wide range of applications, from analgesia,2 sedation and reduction in post‐operative shivering,3 to the control of symptoms during alcohol4 and nicotine5 withdrawal. In this issue of the journal, Hall and colleagues report their findings of a study specifically designed to quantify the dose response of low‐dose clonidine in healthy volunteers with regard to sedation, analgesia and cognition.6