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Evaluation of two formulations of dihydrocodeine using patient‐controlled analgesia
Author(s) -
AITKEN H. A.,
CLARK E. C.,
McARDLE C. S.,
DIMITRI W.,
KENNY G. N. C.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1990.tb14825.x
Subject(s) - medicine , anesthesia , intensive care medicine
Summary A randomised, double‐blind study of 90 patients after cardiac bypass surgery was undertaken to assess the relative analgesic efficacies of normal‐ and controlled‐release oral dihydrocodeine. Patients received either placebo, normal‐release dihydrocodeine, or controlled‐release dihydrocodeine at regular intervals on the first to third days after operation. This was supplemented in all groups by intravenous morphine administered on demand by a patient‐controlled analgesia system. Morphine requirements in the control group were significantly greater during this 48‐hour period than in either of the active groups (p < 0.01), but there was no statistically significant difference between the two active preparations.