MELPERON PREMEDICATION FOR CATARACT-SURGERY - A COMPARISON WITH DIAZEPAM

Given as a peroral premedicant for geriatric patients having cataract surgery under regional block, a butyrophenone neuroleptic melperon (15 -30 mg, n = 50) ranked equally with diazepam (4-10 mg, n = 50), assess ed using a qualitative subjective estimation of the patients' anxiety. The patients treated with melperon needed significantly fewer supplem entations with intravenous drugs, to withstand the surgery, compared t o those medicated with diazepam. Melperon is a compatible alternative, but its possible propensity to cause occasional arterial hypotension must be noticed.