Journal of Medicine website: “Comparison of the effects of electroencephalosing and midazolam on preoperative treatment in elderly patients: a randomized controlled trial that meets CONSORT criteria”

https://journals.lww.com/md-journal/fulltext/2022/09020/comparison_of_the_effects_of_cranial.34.aspx

Summary ~

Background:

Although midazolam is widely used as an anti-anxiety preoperative medication, it can lead to excessive sedation and hypoxia in elderly patients. Cranial electrical stimulation therapy (CES) is a non-pharmaceutical therapy with an anti-anxiety effect. This study compared the effects of CES and midazolam as preoperative treatment in elderly patients.

Method:

80 patients aged 65 to 79 and underwent general anesthesia were randomly divided into the preoperative midazolam group (group M, n=40) and the CES pretreatment group (CES group, n=40). Patients in group M were intramuscularly injected midazolam (0.07 mg/kg) 30 min before general anesthesia. Patients in the CES group received 20 min CES pretreatment the day before the operation and the morning of the day of the operation.

Result:

In the preoperative waiting area, the anxiety scores ( P = .02) and sedation scores ( P < .001) were significantly lower in the CES group than in the M group. The blood oxygen saturation in the preoperative waiting area and operating room was significantly higher in the CES group than in the M group ( P < .001).

Conclusion:

For older patients, CES pretreatment can relieve preoperative anxiety and has a lower risk of hypersedation and respiratory depression than midazolam preoperative medication.