Benzodiazepine premedication in minor day-case surgery: comparison of oral midazolam and temazepam with placebo.

Ninety day-case or short stay patients were allocated to three groups in a double-blind study. The groups received oral midazolam 15 mg, oral temazepam 20 mg or placebo approximately 1 h before surgery. Midazolam was superior to temazepam regarding anxiolysis, sedation and amnesia, but temazepam was superior to placebo. However, delay in immediate and late recovery occurred significantly more often in the patients receiving midazolam than in those receiving temazepam or placebo.