Related Experiment Videos
[Premedication in ambulatory surgery]
S K Barnung1, A M Møller, T Pedersen
1H:S Bispebjerg Hospital, anaestesiologisk afdeling R.
Ugeskrift for Laeger
|March 7, 2001
Summary
Anxiolytic premedication does not appear to delay hospital discharge for adult day case surgery patients. While psychomotor function may be impaired, evidence does not show a significant impact on discharge times.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Pharmacology
Context:
- Day case surgery under general anesthesia is common.
- Anxiolytic premedication is frequently used to manage patient anxiety before surgery.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the impact of anxiolytic premedication on the time to discharge for adult patients undergoing day case surgery.
- To synthesize evidence from randomized controlled trials on anxiolytic effects and recovery.
Summary:
- A systematic review of 14 randomized controlled trials involving 1263 patients found no evidence that anxiolytic premedication delays hospital discharge.
- While some studies indicated impaired psychomotor function post-anesthesia, this did not consistently translate to delayed discharge.
- Two studies specifically addressing discharge found no delay in premedicated patients.
Impact:
- Findings suggest anxiolytic premedication can be safely used in day case surgery without compromising timely discharge.
- Results may inform clinical practice guidelines for pre-anesthetic medication selection.
- Further research may be needed to address the variety of anesthetic techniques and patient populations.