Diazepam, flunitrazepam and midazolam for elective endoscopy--a comparative study.

One hundred twenty patients undergoing elective endoscopies were studied. They were allocated into three groups and accordingly they received Diazepam, Flunitrazepam and Midazolam. The effect of these drugs on the task performance of the patient's memory, anxiety and sedation level were assessed using objective tests. Cardiovascular and respiratory parameters were also assessed. All observations were subjected to student's t-test and chi squared assessment. We concluded that there are no major differences between the three drugs in the dosage used. However, the Midazolam group showed faster recovery, more sedation, less pain on injection than the Diazepam group. As for the cardiovascular system, there was a tendency for hypotension and tachycardia in all groups. Patients in the Midazolam group had more amnesia as compared to the other groups.