STUDIES OF DRUGS GIVEN BEFORE ANAESTHESIA XX: DIAZEPAM-CONTAINING MIXTURES

Abstract

Diazepam 10 mg and pethidine 100 mg alone were compared and in combination with or without hyoscine as pre-operative medication. Both intramuscular and intravenous routes of administration were employed. The addition of diazepam to pethidine improved its efficiency as a premedicant and decreased its side effects. In contrast the pethidine-diazepam mixture was found to be significantly more toxic than diazepam alone. The addition of hyoscine markedly improved the amnesic property and soporific effect of diazepam, but at the expense of less satisfactory methohexitone induction and a slightly delayed recovery.