A comparison of triazolam and diazepam as premedication agents for minor gynaecological surgery

Triazolam 0.25 mg, diazepam 10 mg and placebo were compared in a randomized double-blind trial of oral premedication in 90 patients undergoing minor gynaecological surgery. Both triazolam and diazepam produced a significant sedative effect as measured by patient self assessment linear analogue scales but only diazepam was more anxiolytic than placebo. Psychomotor performance assessed by the letter-search test at 3 and 6 hours after awakening showed a decrement in performance in patients receiving triazolam at 3 hours compared with the two other groups. Triazolam was shown to have a pronounced amnesic effect and whilst it might be used for premedication, its lack of anxiolysis coupled with a significant impairment of psychomotor performance at 3 hours after awakening, render the drug unsuitable for premedication in the short stay patient.