STUDIES OF DRUGS GIVEN BEFORE ANAESTHESIA XXVI: LORAZEPAM

Lorazepam has been studied as preanaesthetic medication givenby mouth, i.m. and i.v. Sedation and side-effects and the incidenceof anterograde amnesia in patients having a standard operationunder methohexitone-nitrous oxide-oxygen anaesthesia were assessed.In a preliminary study of three i.m. (2-, 4- and 8-mg) and sixoral (1-, 2-, 2.5-, 4-, 5- and 8-mg) doses, the optimum dosewas found to be 4 mg for patients with an average weight of60 kg. This dose was studied in detail when given by all threeroutes and compared with the commercially available 2.5-and5-mg tablets. Even when given i.v., there was a delay of 30—40min in the onset of maximum sedative effect and drowsiness persistedfor at least 4 h. Although the onset of action by i.m. injectionwas slightly faster than when the drug was given by mouth thisadvantage was more than offset by the high frequencies of painat the site of injection and restlessness which persisted for20—40 min. Oral lorazepam in doses of 2.5—5.0 mgwas a reliable, effective sedative which could be recommendedfor routine preanaesthetic medication, provided rapid recoverywas not essential. Its soporific effect was accompanied by anappreciable incidence of anterograde amnesia.     

Desoxyribonucleoprotein Thromboembolism Following Total Body Irradiation: Case Report

A case of sudden death shortly after total body radiation is reported in apatient with acute stem cell leukemia. The sudden death was associated withcapillary DNA thromboembolism.

Submitted on March 31, 1960 Accepted on July 3, 1960