Midazolam as a pediatric premedicant in the ambulatory setting

In the preoperative setting, the nurse is responsible for the comprehensive evaluation and preparation of the patient. Among these activities, the administration of various premedications to achieve a physiological (eg, raise gastric fluid pH) or psychological (eg, reduce apprehension) effect is commonplace. Midazolam, a benzodiazepine, is one of the more popular medications used preoperatively for its anxiolytic properties. Several studies have evaluated the variety of routes by which midazolam can effectively be administered to the pediatric patient. A review of midazolam as a premedication specific to the pediatric population in the ambulatory setting is presented.