title: Delayed side effects of droperidol after ambulatory general anesthesia.
abstract: The incidence of postoperative effects of droperidol, in the hospital and at home the following night, after general anesthesia for minor outpatient procedures was evaluated in two groups of 50 patients each. Anesthetic techniques were identical except for the presence or absence of 1.25 mg of IV droperidol. There were no differences between the groups with regard to postoperative nausea, vomiting, pain, or time to discharge. In 23% of patients given droperidol, anxiety or restlessness developed after discharge from the ambulatory care unit. No patient not receiving droperidol had these reactions. It is suggested that the routine use of droperidol in all outpatients receiving general anesthesia may not be appropriate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Presbyterian-University Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Melnick
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sawyer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Karambelkar
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Phitayakorn
authors.forename: N T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Uy
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Patel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D001007:Anxiety; D004329:Droperidol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009325:Nausea; D010146:Pain; D013997:Time Factors; D014839:Vomiting
chemical_list: D004329:Droperidol