The effect of droperidol on fentanyl-influenced gastric emptying in man

The effect of droperidol on gastric emptying was determined from the rate of paracetamol absorption in seven healthy adult volunteers who received fentanyl, each acting as his/her own control. On each occasion the subjects were given droperidol 2.5 mg or normal saline (placebo) i.v. in double-blind fashion. On both occasions, 20 and 50 min later a dose of 0.0015 mg kg-1 fentanyl was given. Ten minutes after the first fentanyl dose, the subjects ingested 20 mg kg-1 paracetamol with 200 ml of water. Our findings demonstrate that droperidol was not able to accelerate gastric emptying in subjects receiving subsequent small doses of fentanyl. Furthermore, the delayed absorption pattern of paracetamol on both occasions suggests that gastric emptying is retarded with or without droperidol.