Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Assessing Changes in Volatile General Anesthetic Sensitivity of Mice after Local or Systemic Pharmacological Intervention
Published on: October 16, 2013
Benzodiazepine premedication may attenuate the stress response in daycase anesthesia: a pilot study
Michelle Duggan1, Noreen Dowd, Denise O'Mara
1Department of Anaesthesia, and Chemical Pathology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. mduggan@sickkids.on.ca
Purpose:
Patients undergoing daycase surgery suffer from varying degrees of fear and anxiety. There is conflicting evidence in the literature regarding the benefit of benzodiazepine premedication in daycase surgery. We carried out a prospective, double-blind, randomized pilot study investigating the effect of benzodiazepine premedication on the stress response in patients undergoing daycase anesthesia and surgery.
Methods:
Group I (n = 16) received diazepam 0.1 mg*kg(-1) orally 60 min preoperatively; Group II (n = 15) received diazepam 0.1 mg*kg(-1) orally 90 min preoperatively; Group III (n = 30) received a placebo. The stress response was measured by analyzing urinary catecholamine and cortisol levels and by scoring anxiety levels using state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) scores and visual analogue scores (VAS).
Results:
Anxiety scores (VAS and STAI scores) were not different between groups. We found a statistically significant reduction in urinary cortisol and noradrenaline levels in the groups receiving diazepam vs placebo.
Discussion:
The reduction in stress hormones following diazepam premedication, in patients undergoing daycase surgery may support the role for benzodiazepine premedication in this setting. However, further studies are warranted to determine the clinical significance of these findings.
Related Concept Videos
CNS Depressants: Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines
Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview
Anxiolytic Drugs: Overview
Primary Types of Anxiolytic Drugs
1. Benzodiazepines:
Benzodiazepines bind to the GABA-A receptor in the brain, enhancing GABA's interaction. This action reduces neurotransmission, effectively blocking anxiety-associated limbic circuitry.
Anxiolytic Drugs: Benzodiazepines and Buspirone
Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview
Sedative-hypnotics are categorized into barbiturates, benzodiazepines (BZDs), and non-benzodiazepines or Z-drugs. These drugs work by suppressing central nervous system activity, and this suppression is dose-dependent. Older sedative medications, like barbiturates, follow a linear curve in...
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines work by enhancing the effects of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. They bind to the GABAA receptor, increasing its affinity for GABA, which opens chloride...

