Midazolam as a sedative on regional anesthesia. Preliminary results

Diazepam is widely used as a sedative for loco-regional anesthesia. The venous irritation and long duration of action and hangover may be a drawback. We compared 8-chloro-6-(2-fluorophenyl)-1-methyl-4H-imidazo[1,5-a] [1,4]benzodiazepine (midazolam, Ro 21-3981, Dormicum), a new water-soluble benzodiazepine, with diazepam for cardio-respiratory changes, onset time, duration of action, amnesia and venous irritation after a single i.v. shot in loco-regional anesthesia.