Surgery today
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Haloperidol prophylaxis does not prevent postoperative delirium in elderly patients: a randomized, open-label prospective trial.
Postoperative delirium is the most common postoperative complication in the elderly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the preventive administration of low-dose haloperidol on the development of postoperative delirium after abdominal or orthopedic surgery in elderly patients. ⋯ The preventive administration of low-dose haloperidol did not induce any adverse events, but also did not significantly decrease the incidence or severity of postoperative delirium or shorten its persistence.