title: Cardiac dysrhythmias associated with intravenous lorazepam, diazepam, and midazolam during oral surgery.
abstract: The incidence and nature of cardiac dysrhythmias occurring during intravenous sedation with lorazepam, diazepam, and midazolam for oral surgery were studied. Sixty American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) I patients of both sexes between the ages 17 and 32 years were randomly allocated to three groups. Groups received either intravenous lorazepam (.05 mg/kg), diazepam (.25 mg/kg), or midazolam (.1 mg/kg) prior to the oral surgical procedure. Electrocardiograms were made before medication and thereafter throughout the entire procedure. Of the 60 patients studied, 16 (26.7%) exhibited dysrhythmias during the surgical procedure. If sinus dysrhythmias were excluded as a cause of abnormal rhythms, only six patients (10%) exhibited dysrhythmias during surgery. No atrial or ventricular premature beats were recorded for the lorazepam group. In the diazepam group five of the patients (25%) exhibited dysrhythmias; 15% were mainly unifocal ventricular premature beats. Only one patient in the midazolam group exhibited unifocal ventricular premature beats.
authors.affiliation: Division of Anaesthesia, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Stellenbosch, Africa.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Roelofse
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: van der Bijl
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology*; D016292:Procedural Sedation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003975:Diazepam / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008140:Lorazepam / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008874:Midazolam / Q000009:adverse effects; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000601:surgery; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D008140:Lorazepam; D003975:Diazepam; D008874:Midazolam