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Ceiling respiratory depression by dezocine
Author(s) -
Romagnoli Alexander,
Keats Arthur S
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.941
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1532-6535
pISSN - 0009-9236
DOI - 10.1038/clpt.1984.45
Subject(s) - nalorphine , dezocine , nalbuphine , morphine , anesthesia , medicine , (+) naloxone , respiratory system , narcotic antagonist , antagonist , respiration , agonist , opioid , pharmacology , analgesic , receptor , anatomy
Dezocine in equianalgesic intravenous doses depressed respiratory response to CO 2 breathing of six healthy subjects to approximately the same degree as morphine but with a more rapid onset and higher peak depression. The depression was dose related up to 30 mg/70 kg but was not increased by an additional 10 mg/70 kg dose. Its duration of effect was approximately the same as that of morphine. Respiratory depression by dezocine was promptly and almost completely antagonized by 0.4 mg naloxone, but antagonism lasted less than 1 hr. Healthy subjects found dezocine less pleasant than morphine and after large doses reported sensations suggestive of psychotomimetic effects. A ceiling effect for respiratory depression has now been demonstrated for three agonist‐antagonist analgesics: nalorphine, nalbuphine, and dezocine. It is not yet clear to what extent this is a general characteristic of agonist‐antagonist analgesics. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1984) 35, 367–373; doi: 10.1038/clpt.1984.45