European journal of anaesthesiology
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Eighty-six patients completed a questionnaire about what they expected from a pre-operative visit by an anaesthesiologist. Ninety-one per cent of the patients wanted a detailed and informative conversation. The patient's previous knowledge stemmed primarily from lay sources, such as other patients and visitors. Age and marital status influenced the extent of the patient's previous knowledge.
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The accuracy of the Hemocue, a portable haemoglobinometer, was tested on 29 patients undergoing open-heart surgery, and the results were compared with the haemoglobin values obtained from the hospital laboratory. Special attention was paid to the lower range of haemoglobin values and the simplicity and speed of operating the meter. The correlation between the methods was good (r = 0.965). The limits of agreement were 0.0323 +/- 0.705 mmol l-1 (95% confidence level).
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Fifty consecutive patients were studied prospectively to assess the effects of a continuous intravenous infusion of midazolam hydrochloride for sedation in patients requiring intensive care. Patient comfort was acceptable in all patients. However, to maintain the same degree of sedation it was necessary to increase the daily dose of midazolam indicating that benzodiazepine tolerance may have been developing. ⋯ Two patients with combined hepatic and renal failure took 124 and 140 h to awaken. Continuous intravenous infusion of midazolam offers good patient comfort but increasing dose requirements in critically ill patients may lead to drug accumulation and delayed awakening. The risks of cumulation may be increased if the drug is given by continuous infusion for prolonged periods without intermittent assessment of the patient's conscious state.