Volume and pH of gastric contents following anticholinergic premedication

The effects of anticholinergic premedication with 1.0 mg atropine, 0.5 mg hyoscine and 0.2 mg glycopyrronium on volume and pH of gastric contents were studied and compared with a group receiving no anticholinergic premedication. The antisialogogue effects were also compared. Though the groups receiving atropine and glycopyrronium had the lowest mean aspirated volume and the highest mean pH respectively there was no essential difference between the various groups receiving anticholinergic premedication. However, the pH values were above 2.5 in the majority of these patients in comparison with the control group. The antisialogogue effects of the three anticholinergic drugs were similar.