A controlled clinical trial of oral droperidol and droperidol plus diazepam for premedication in children.

In 87 children aged 2-9 yr, oral droperidol and oral droperidol plus diazepam were compared as premedicants in a controlled double-blind clinical trial. Atropine was given orally to all the patients. Droperidol was well absorbed and produced good sedation, associated with a low incidence of vomiting after operation. Droperidol plus diazepam did not appear to offer any advantage over droperidol alone. Anxiety and extrapyramidal effects were not observed and may have been obviated by the addition of atropine. Droperidol syrup was noted to be more palatable than other oral premedicants in use.