Cyproheptadine for the Prevention of Postoperative Delirium: A Pilot Study Publisher Pubmed



Mohammadi M¹ ; Ahmadi M¹ ; Khalili H¹ ; Cheraghchi H¹ ; Arbabi M¹ Show Affiliations
Source: Annals of Pharmacotherapy Published:2016

Abstract

Background:Postoperative delirium is a common neurobehavioral complication after major surgeries. There is no conclusive approach for prevention of delirium in these patients. Objective: In this study, efficacy of cyproheptadine for prevention of postoperative delirium was evaluated. Methods: Delirium status of surgical patients was evaluated postoperatively at the time of admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM-ICU) scale. Patients without delirium were assigned to the cyproheptadine or placebo group based on the simple randomization method. Patients received cyproheptadine or placebo tablet at a dose of 4 mg 3 times per day for 7 days. Patients were monitored daily for incidence of delirium. Results: Changes in the incidence rates of delirium over time during the study phase (P = 0.04) and between the groups showed statistically significant differences (P = 0.029). However, severity of delirium was not significantly different between the cyproheptadine and placebo groups during the study period. Conclusion: It seems that cyproheptadine with its diverse effects can be a potential option for prevention of postoperative delirium. In this pilot study, cyproheptadine significantly decreased the incidence but not severity of postoperative delirium. © 2015, © The Author(s) 2015.