Oral lormetazepam in premedication. A comparison with diazepam

Summry Lormetazepam, a relatively new benzodiazepine was compared in a randomised, double blind trial with diazepamfor its effectiveness as an oral premedicant drug. A scoring system was used to assess sedntion. relief of anxiety. nausea, dizziness and cardiovascular effects in two groups of patients having orthopaedic operations. Some statistical indication that lormetazepam has a greater anxiolytic effect than diazepam was found, but in assessing total eflect using a known scoring system, no difference was demonstrated between the two drugs.