title: Ondasetron versus haloperidol for the treatment of postcardiotomy delirium: a prospective, randomized, double-blinded study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate the controlling efficacy of ondasetron and haloperidol in regard to the postcardiotomy delirium.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included in this prospective, randomized, double-blinded study 80 patients who developed delirium after heart surgery with the application of heart lung-machine. The patients were divided into two, equally-sized groups, which on detection of delirium received ondasetron 8 mg iv or haloperidol 5 mg iv respectively. The statistical analysis compared the baseline and demographic characteristics of the two groups (age, gender, comorbidities, years of education, type of surgery etc.).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both ondasetron and haloperidol had very good delirium controlling effects, without statistically significant differences. DISCUSSION-CONCLUSIONS: Ondasetron and haloperidol are efficient agents as far as the treatment of postcardiotomy delirium is concerned. As, in addition, ondasetron bares milder side-effects, we believe this could be the agent of choice in patients developing postcardiotomy delirium in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital of Larissa, Thessaly, Greece. gtagarakis@gmail.com
authors.forename: Georgios I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Tagarakis
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Voucharas
authors.forename: Fani
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tsolaki
authors.forename: Marios E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Daskalopoulos
authors.forename: Vassilios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Papaliagkas
authors.forename: Charalampos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Parisis
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gogaki
authors.forename: Iotalias
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tsagalas
authors.forename: Iotalias
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sataitidis
authors.forename: Magda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsolaki
authors.forename: Nikolaos B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Tsilimingas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003693:Delirium / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D017294:Ondansetron / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D017294:Ondansetron; D006220:Haloperidol