title: Effects of opipramol as an evening anaesthesiologic premedication.
abstract: To date, opipramol has not been examined within the context of evening premedication in anaesthesiology. A suitable drug for such an application should induce anxiolytic and sleep-favouring effects. Due to its pharmacological properties, one would expect opipramol to lead to these effects. In order to test this possibility, 72 female patients were randomly assigned to 50 mg opipramol, 100 mg opipramol, or placebo (n = 24 patients per group) in the evening prior to surgery in a double-blind trial. Effects were recorded in the morning prior to the operation by means of self-rating questionnaires, regarding the patients' current subjective state and their judgement of the quality of sleep during the night before. The self-rating was done by the Multidimensional Mood Inventory BSKE (EWL), by use of the Multidimensional Somatic Symptom List (MSKL), and by use of the Würzburg Sleep Questionnaire. Further dependent variables were heart rate and blood pressure. Opipramol significantly improved sleep quality. Especially the frequency of awakening at night was reduced. These effects could be observed predominantly after 100 mg opipramol. At this dosage, inner excitement was reduced as well. The autonomic variables remained uninfluenced. There were no adverse events and no hints for interactions with anaesthesiology.
authors.affiliation: University of Lübeck, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gerlach
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uhlig
authors.forename: Jasmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Plathof
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klassen
authors.forename: Klaus-Dieter
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Stoll
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schmucker
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hueppe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009888:Opipramol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011229:Preanesthetic Medication; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D009888:Opipramol