Flunitrazepam or diazepam with atropine and a combination of phenoperidine, droperidol and cyclizine (neuroleptanalgesia) were compared as premedication in three groups of 25 patients undergoing routine upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Drug doses were titrated carefully against response and all three regimes were found to be similar in terms of safety, patient co-operation, relaxation and speed of recovery. Neuroleptanalgesia however produced a statistically significant rise in endtidal pCO2 and systolic blood pressure. The benzodiazepines, and in particular flunitrazepam, produced a significantly greater amnesia for the procedure, patients given these drugs being more willing to undergo repeat endoscopy.

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SUMMARYIn this double‐blind study, 301 patients with subjective and objective signs of sore throat were randomly assigned to flurbiprofen 8.75 mg (n=129), flurbiprofen 12.5 mg (n=43) or placebo (demulcent lozenge without active drug [n=129]). Efficacy was assessed by changes in subjective rating scales primarily after a single dose and also over a 4‐day period. Flurbiprofen 8.75 mg was superior to placebo in a number of efficacy parameters, notably throat soreness. Throat soreness was significantly reduced after 15 minutes (p<0.05), with effects sustained for at least 2 hours (p<0.05). Multiple dosing with flurbiprofen 8.75 mg lozenges continued to provide effective symptomatic relief over the 4‐day treatment period. The small sample size was considered contributory to the variable results obtained with flurbiprofen 12.5 mg lozenges, but overall these were not inconsistent with previous trials. Both treatments were tolerated well. Flurbiprofen 8.75 mg lozenges provide an effective and well tolerated treatment for sore throat.