Nalbuphine versus meperidine for post-operative analgesia: a double-blind comparison using the patient controlled analgesic technique.

A double-blind study was undertaken to compare nalbuphine, a synthetic partial agonist opiate, with meperidine in providing analgesia in patients following abdominal surgery, using the patient controlled analgesic technique. Both drugs showed a wide variation in demand requirements, but they were equally effective in relieving pain as assessed by the linear analogue technique. Neither drug caused a reduction of respiratory rate. The patient-controlled analgesic technique gave analgesia of good quality and it aided the comparison of the two drugs. However, some of the patients found the technique difficult to manage, and it is expensive and time-consuming. Until further experience is gained with this device its use should be confined to a constant care unit.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes