What are the medications used for endoscopy/colonoscopy?
Midazolam (Versed) is the most commonly used sedative. It is excellent at relieving anxiety, suppressing the gag reflex and awareness of discomfort. It induces amnesia, and interference with memory is probably the last effect of the drug to wear off, such that conversations after the procedure with the patient, who appears otherwise awake, may not be remembered. In some upper endoscopies and most colonoscopies a small dose of a narcotic pain reliever such as meperidine (demerol) or morphine or fentanyl (trade name) is used. The two agents together often work nicely to provide a synergistic effect allowing a smaller dose of each medicine to be used enhancing comfort and speeding recovery. Because of uncertainty regarding the recovery of memory and reflexes following the use of these sedatives, it is required that patients not drive or use complex machinery (lawn mowers, chainsaws, etc.) for the rest of the day. Similarly activities requiring precise balance on ladders, roofs, etc. need
