Prolonged nausea and vomiting associated with buprenorphine.

We conducted a trial to evaluate the histamine-releasing characteristics of morphine, meperidine, and buprenorphine when administered intravenously to 20 healthy adults without pain. Substantially more nausea and vomiting occurred with buprenorphine than with the other compounds, and was more intense on ambulation. High-affinity receptor binding may play a role in the long duration of nausea and vomiting after a single dose of this agent.