A number of elderly patients undergoing intraocular surgery were premedicated with a combination of promazine 50 mg. and meperidine 50 mg. Superior sedation and a smoother postoperative course were noted as compared to a control group premedicated with the usual high dosages of opiates and barbiturates. The incidence of nausea and vomiting, urinary retention, and postoperative disorientation was less than 20%. Hypotension was not a problem.Promazine was found to potentiate the action of opiates and barbiturates given in smaller dosages, thus permitting surgical procedures to be carried out with safety in an older population prone to the complications of opiate and barbiturate administration. This finding confirms reports noted in the obstetrical literature.
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