Oral premedication with lorazepam (Ativan): a comparison with heptabarbitone (Medomin) and diazepam (Valium).

One hundred and fifty-six patients undergoing both major and minor gynaecological and oral surgery were given premedication with either lorazepam 3 mg, heptabarbitone 400 mg or diazepam 10 mg in a double-blind, between-patient investigation. The results of the trial suggest that in these doses the three drugs were almost equipotent in sedative effect whilst lorazepam showed appreciably better anterograde amnesia for the day of operation. Both lorazepam and diazepam caused significazepam antly fewer preoperative side effects than heptabarbitone. The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting differed insignificantly between the three groups. Lorazepam in a dosage of 3 mg, given orally 60–180 minutes before anaesthesia proved an effective premedicant.