• Håvard Furunes, Olav Spigset, and Lars Slørdal.
• Institutt for laboratoriemedisin, Det medisinske fakultet, Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet, 7489 Trondheim. lars.slordal@medisin.ntnu.no
• Tidsskr. Nor. Laegeforen. 2003 Dec 23; 123 (24): 3512-4.

BackgroundIn some countries, heroin is widely used as an analgesic agent.Material And MethodsThe literature describing the history, pharmacology and analgesic use of heroin was reviewed.ResultsHeroin is a semi-synthetic morphine derivative. A century ago it was considered a panacea with numerous indications. Today it is best known as a drug of abuse, but is still in use as an analgesic. Most studies that compare heroin with other analgesics have methodological shortcomings; however, they generally indicate that heroin has a clinical effect not very different from morphine. An better aqueous solubility as compared to morphine may in some situations be advantageous. Because of a proposed incomplete cross-tolerance between heroin and other opioid analgesics, it may be used if the patient shows sub-therapeutic response to first-line opioids.InterpretationAlthough not well documented, heroin appears to be an effective analgesic with certain properties different from those of morphine. It may be of clinical value in conditions with acute and/or terminal pain.

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