title: Utility of droperidol for conscious sedation in gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures.
abstract: Although narcotics and benzodiazepines are widely used as premedications for gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures, we have found a significant number of patients in whom this combination is either inadequate for sedation or results in paradoxical agitation. Over the last 54 months, we have administered droperidol, a neuroleptic, as an adjunct to narcotics and benzodiazepines in 764 patients undergoing 1,102 procedures. The most common indication for droperidol usage was active alcohol abuse or withdrawal (45%). The most frequent dose administered was 2.5 mg (41.1%) followed by 3.75 mg (25.8%). The level of sedation and cooperation was adequate in all but 22 procedures (2.0%). Complications related to droperidol use were infrequent, occurring in 17 procedures (1.5%). There was no mortality or major morbidity resulting from droperidol usage. In our endoscopic population, we find droperidol to be a safe and efficacious adjunctive agent for conscious sedation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Wilcox
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Forsmark
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cello
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004329:Droperidol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004724:Endoscopy; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011292:Premedication; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D004329:Droperidol