Le midazolam intraveineux comme agent hynotique d'une neuroleptanalgésie

42 patients are given, before any neuroleptanalgesia mixture, 0.2 mg · kg^?1 of IV midazolam. Pain during the injection is reported in two cases. The loss of conversation onset is 38 ± 18 seconds and of the lid reflex is 75 ± 43 seconds. The only clinical variation is a drop of the systolic blood pressure from 121.4 ± 19.5 mmHg to 114.8 ± 19.6 mmHg, p <0.005. Apnea occurs in nine patients (21 per cent). It lasts 29 ± 35 seconds. But in a steady ventilatory state, the minute ventilation, the tidal volume and the respiratory rate are unchanged from the control values. At the end of the procedure, the answer to simple orders and the space and time orientation come back after 10 ± 13 minutes and 33 ± 28 minutes. The punctured vein is free of any reaction up to the third day.In conclusion, midazolam is a useful hypnotic drug mainly in the debilitated patient.