Midazolam can be used intravenously for induction of anesthesia versed . As an inducing agent it produces sleep and amnesia but it does not have any analgesic effect.
Midazolam is not as rapid acting as thiopental. At approximately equipotent doses (loss of consciousness), thiopental abolishes the eyelash reflex 50—100% faster than midazolam, but it produces less incidence of apnoea followed by induction doses than thiopental.
The anterograde amnesia persists longer (> 1 hour), when midazolam acts as an inducing agent. The success and rapidity of the induction with midazolam are related directly to the anesthesia versed dose. Onset of unconsciousness is facilitated by opioids given intravenously 1-3 minutes before.
The dose of midazolam required for IV induction of anaesthesia is also less when preoperative medication includes a CNS depressant drug.
Elderly patients require less midazolam for the IV induction of anesthesia versed than do the young-adults, probably due to increased sensitivity of CNS to midazolam with increasing age.