Objective. We aimed to study the differences in perception of pain during cardiac catheterization with midazolam monotherapy compared to the current standard of midazolam plus fentanyl. Background. Procedural sedation is important to ensure comfort and safety in patients undergoing left heart catheterization. Despite the widespread use of midazolam and fentanyl for procedural sedation, the effectiveness of this dual agent approach to sedation has never been studied in comparison to midazolam monotherapy. Methods. A total of 129 patients undergoing sedation for outpatient elective cardiac catheterization were randomly assigned to either midazolam monotherapy (n = 69) or combination of midazolam and fentanyl (n = 60). The primary outcome was assessment of pain perception prior to discharge by patient completion of a pain questionnaire. Participants were asked if they experienced any pain during their procedure (yes/no) and, if yes, asked to rate their overall pain level using a 10-point Likert scale that ranged from 1 (minimal pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable). Results. Most patients (n = 94, 73%) reported no pain during their procedure. Patients sedated with midazolam monotherapy reported similar average pain scores compared to patients sedated with the combination of midazolam and fentanyl (1.1 vs. 1.1, p = 0.95 ). Conclusions. Among patients undergoing elective cardiac catheterization, no significant differences in pain scores were noted between sedation with midazolam alone compared to midazolam and fentanyl. Due to fentanyl’s unfavorable interaction with P2Y12 agents, increased costs, and addiction potential, it is imperative that cardiologists revisit the role of effective procedural sedation with a single agent and avoid the use of fentanyl.

Loperamide, an over-the-counter antidiarrheal, works on the µ opioid receptor with minimal opioid activity if taken as directed. Recently, it has gained popularity as the "poor man's methadone" at supratherapeutic dosing. Opioid antagonism with naloxone is beneficial in reversing respiratory depression but has no effect on cardiotoxicity due to the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG). We present the case of a 34-year-old female who presented for syncope after taking 48 tablets of 2 mg loperamide.On arrival, she was obtunded with variable heart block and a QTc of 560 ms.Subsequently, due to further QT prolongation from loperamide to 656 ms, she developed Torsades de Pointes requiring defibrillation at 120 J twice. Ultimately, she was discharged home with psychiatric and substance abuse outpatient follow-up. Patients and healthcare providers face new challenges with the increase in loperamide misuse due to easy access and delayed identification. It is important for clinicians to recognize and be familiar with loperamide overdose given the potential for multiorgan failure and increased mortality.

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