[Benzodiazepine and flumazenil in elective electric cardioversion]

The Authors report on the use of Flumazenil (Antagonist of the benzodiazepines in the CNS) in patients awakening from benzodiazepine induced necrosis for defibrillation. When used in these circumstances, the normal side effects of the narcosis (arrhythmia, rebound hypertensive convulsions, states of paradoxical anxiety) were almost completely absent. Furthermore, given the optimal quality of the rapid awakening, in about 5 minutes, the antagonistic qualities of the drug were confirmed making further development of the therapeutic uses of the benzodiazepines possible.