 Patients with COPD scheduled for outpatient FB will be provided with an intravenous infusion of dexmedetomidine 1 mcgkghr Precedex: Hospira, Inc, Lake Forest, IL over a 15-30 min period before the procedure and continued throughout the procedure. No loading dose will be used prior to start of infusion. The FB procedure will be conducted according to standard practice using routine monitoring technique. 