Efficacy of alprazolam pre-medication on postoperative pain of elective abdominal surgery

Background: One of the bitter experiences is acute postoperative pain. The severity of this pain has been reported as moderate to severe in 21% of patients. Materials and methods: In this controlled randomized clinical trial, 106 consecutive patients under elective abdominal surgery in Bouali Hospital were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive alprazolam or placebo the night before surgery. The pain severity was determined by visual analog scale (VAS) and compared between the groups at three intervals, including recovery time, and 4 hours and 24 hours after surgery. Results: The mean age (P=0.55) and gender (P=0.78) of patients were similar between the two groups. 24-hour analgesic dose (meperidine) was significantly lower in patients that received alprazolam (25±0 mg) compared to placebo group (35.53±12.68) (P=0.002). The pain severity in VAS was 7.70±1.84, 4.96±1.56 and 3.06±1.35 cm in alprazolam group, and 7.55±1.44, 5.70 ± 1.19 and 3.94 ± 1.13 cm in the placebo group, in recovery time, and 4 hours and 24 hours after surgery respectively. The results in this study revealed that there was statistically significant difference at first 24 hours after surgery (P=0.038) but were no statistically significant differences between two groups for the postoperative pain in recovery and in first 4 hours (P > 0.05). Also Conclusion: The results in this study revealed that there was statistically significant difference at the first 24 hours after surgery (P=0.038), but were no statistically significant differences between two groups for the postoperative pain in recovery and in first 4 hours (P>0.05). Also 24-hour analgesic dose (meperidine) was significantly lower in patients that received alprazolam (P=0.002).