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PENTAZOCINE INTRAMUSCULARLY FOR CONTROL OF POSTOPERATIVE PAIN IN ORTHOPEDIC PATIENTS
Author(s) -
Befeler David,
Giattini Joseph F.
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1970.tb02573.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pentazocine , analgesic , anesthesia , discontinuation , orthopedic surgery , adverse effect , tramadol , surgery
A bstract The analgesic efficacy and the safety of parenteral pentazocine therapy were evaluated in 210 postoperative orthopedic patients (106 males and 104 females) whose ages ranged from 14 to 91 years. At intervals of three to four hours, pentazocine was injected intramuscularly in doses ranging from 15 to 60 mg. In 41 cases the dosage schedule was variable. After omission of these cases, the observations on pain relief in relation to dosage were evaluated in 169 patients. The 15–20 mg group of 13 patients was too small a sample to serve as a basis for drawing conclusions. Thus the evaluation was based on the effects of a consistent dosage of 30, 45, 50 or 60 mg administered intramuscularly every three to four hours in 156 patients. Of these, 89 per cent reported excellent or good analgesia. The most commonly used dosage was 30 mg; with this, 91 per cent of 128 patients had excellent or good relief of pain. The drug was particularly effective in the elderly. The usual duration of therapy was one week. Adverse reactions directly related to pentazocine occurred in 4 per cent of the 210 patients, but necessitated discontinuation of the drug in only 1 per cent. These untoward effects were usually mild and transient. Not one of the 45 patients in the 70–91 age group had an adverse reaction. It is concluded that pentazocine administered intramuscularly is a well tolerated and effective analgesic for relieving postoperative pain in orthopedic patients.