Drug delivery system for conscious sedation

Inhalant anesthetics are developed with a number of properties including rapid onset and recovery, controllability, and ideally, a broad safety profile. The efficacy of these agents is measured by their ability to create anesthesia within the framework of the other desirable properties. The instant invention focuses on the dosage level where analgesia occurs but amnesia or lack of consciousness does not. In addition to identifying the dosage level where pain is sharply reduced or eliminated but awareness remains, a delivery system for safe and effective delivery of the agent is described.