J Anesth Perioper Med. 2018;6(1):34-40. https://doi.org/10.24015/ebcmed.japm.2018.0010

Perioperative Use of Benzodiazepines: A Reconsideration of Risks and Benefits

Yanzi Zhang1, Yidan Tang1, Jing Yang1, Chunyu Gong2, and Zhuo Li3

From the 1Department of Anesthesiology and Translational Neuroscience Center, West China Hospital, 2Department of Surgery, NO. 4 West China Teaching Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; 3Department of Pharmacy, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, China.

Correspondence to Dr. Jing Yang at hxyangjing@qq.com.

EBCMED ID: ebcmed.japm.2018.0010 DOI: 10.24015/ebcmed.japm.2018.0010


Abstract

Aim of review
Reconsideration of Benzodiazepines (BZDs) after many years’ widespread use, for development of recent new similar drugs and consideration about increased delirium with BZDs.

Methods
A comprehensive search in OVID MEDLINE, EMBASE and PubMed were performed from inception to Jan 31, 2016, the studies which involved pharmacological characteristics of BZDs and comparison among BZDs, placebo and some similar new drugs used for sedation and antianxiety in the perioperative period were included.

Recent findings
Routine use of BZDs as a sedative and antianxiety premedication is lack of benefits. BZDs did not improve the self- reported patient experience the day after surgery, but was associated with a lower rate of early cognitive recovery. Large numbers of using of other sedation drugs such as Propofol or Dexmedetomidine are replacing the using of BZDs for postoperative sedation. BZDs are important anesthesia- related predictors of postoperative delirium. Compared with those new drugs in sedation and anti-anxiety, BZDs has gradually lost its market.

Summary
As the developing of anesthesia monitoring technique and more beneficial pharmaceutical, the perioperative application of BZDs should be used with caution. (Funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.)

Article Type
Review Article

Declaration of Interests
The author declares no conflicts of interest.

Acknowledgements
This work was supported by a grant (81271201) from the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

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