Use of doxapram as an arousal agent in outpatient general anaesthesia

In a double-blind study of 100 outpatients receiving an anaesthetic sequence of methohexitone, nitrous oxide and halothane, significant shortening of recovery time was produced by the i.v. administration of doxapram hydrochloride at the end of anaesthesia. Comparable recovery times were obtained following the administration of 80 mg to female patients and 95 mg to male patients. There was no evidence that the administration of doxapram caused cardiac arrhythmia.