title: Antagonism of diazepam sedation by flumazenil.
abstract: Forty adult patients undergoing elective surgery, anaesthetized with diazepam, alfentanil and nitrous oxide in oxygen, and paralysed with atracurium were given flumazenil or placebo i.v. in a double-blind randomized study to assess the efficacy of flumazenil. Awake state, heart rate, arterial pressure, rate of ventilation and arterial blood-gas values were measured at 0, 5, 30, 120 and 240 min after administration of flumazenil or placebo. Flumazenil was found to antagonize the sedative effects of diazepam; there was no resedation within the time of observation. There were no intergroup differences in any of the other measured variables. A median dose of diazepam 0.33 mg kg-1 during surgery lasting a median of 98 min was antagonized by a median dose of flumazenil 0.35 mg. No side effects related to flumazenil were observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Hospital of Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Skielboe
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: I L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Jarnvig
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Christiansen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015760:Alfentanil; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D003975:Diazepam / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005442:Flumazenil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009609:Nitrous Oxide; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D015760:Alfentanil; D005442:Flumazenil; D009609:Nitrous Oxide; D003975:Diazepam; D010100:Oxygen