Pre-operative medication reviewed: oral temazepam compared with papaveretum and hyoscine.

Oral temazepam was compared with papaveretum and hyoscine for pre-operative medication. The oral premedication was associated with less subjective unpleasant side-effects and greater anxiolytic properties. It was adjudged to be superior by the anaesthetic and nursing staff as well as by the patients themselves. Oral premedication was also less time-consuming to administer, and there was a small saving in the cost of drugs and equipment.