Physiological responses to intravenous diazepam as a sedative for conservative dentistry.

The physiological responses to intravenous diazepam and oral local analgesia for conservative dentistry have been assessed in 16 patients. Apart from a transient tachycardia during actual administration of the drug, no clinically significant changes occurred in the haemodynamic, respiratory, or metabolic status of the patients. In some patients there was a period of incompetence of the laryngeal closure reflex.