Two patients presented with very different signs of central anticholinergic syndrome following general anaesthesia for which they had received premedication with hyoscine. Both responded dramatically to 1 mg of intravenous (i.v.) physostigmine, which produced a rapid return to a normal level of consciousness. The aetiology of central anticholinergic syndrome is multi-factorial, but the diagnosis should be considered in all patients who demonstrate abnormal post-anaesthetic awakening. It is recommended that 1 mg of intravenous physostigmine is a safe and effective treatment for central anticholinergic syndrome, and that a supply of this important drug must be kept readily available in the recovery area of the operating theatre department.
