The use of meptazinol as a premedication for surgical patients.

The acceptability of a mixture of meptazinol and hyoscine as a surgical premedication was compared with that of an Omnopon-hyoscine combination in a randomized, double-blind trial involving 101 surgical patients. Blood pressure and respiratory rate were significantly reduced to a similar extent by both premedicant combinations, and this may be interpreted as evidence of a satisfactory alleviation of anxiety by both test mixtures. The two mixtures produced a similar degree of sedation, and both were associated with a useful inhibition of salivary secretion. Side-effects were reported in 25% patients in the meptazinol group, and in 28% of those receiving Omnopon, although a number of these effects may be attributable to hyoscine. There was no difference in the pattern of post-operative analgesic requirements between the two groups, and no unfavourable interaction was noted with any of the anaesthetic agents used.