Articles: analgesics.
-
Cahiers d'anesthésiologie · Mar 1989
Comparative Study[Addition of a morphinomimetic to the continuous perfusion of 0.125% bupivacaine for peridural obstetrical anesthesia. A comparative study of fentanyl and alfentanyl].
Morphinic drugs added to epidural local anesthetic during labour enhance analgesia and obstetrical conditions. Fentanyl, 1 microgram/kg-1, is safe for the newborn. Alfentanil is of faster and shorter duration and its pharmacokinetics suggests less accumulation than fentanyl. ⋯ No cesarean section is observed. Neonatal status, established according to Apgar scores and then Amiel Tison neurological scales (0 to 30) respectively at 30 to 120 minutes are in the same favorable ranges: Apgar score is in all cases more than 9. The neurological score is 24 (group A) and 22.9 (group F) at 30 minutes and increases significantly at 120 minutes in the 2 groups (27 in the two groups).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Feb 1989
ReviewClinical uses of intravenous anesthetic and analgesic infusions.
Renewed interest in i.v. anesthetic techniques has resulted from the availability of more rapid and shorter-acting i.v. drugs. With recent advances in the area of infusion pump technology, it has become easier to administer i.v. anesthetics and analgesics by continuous infusion techniques. The newer sedative-hypnotic (midazolam, propofol) and analgesic (sufentanil, alfentanil) drugs are better suited pharmacologically to continuous administration techniques than the traditional i.v. agents because they can be more accurately titrated to meet the unique and changing anesthetic needs of the individual patient. ⋯ Improved delivery systems for administering i.v. drugs will make it easier to use continuous infusion techniques in the future. With continued progress in the development of infusion devices and i.v. drugs designed for continuous administration, the use of intravenous anesthetic techniques will become more widespread. In the near future, infusion pumps will likely become standard equipment on all anesthesia machines and anesthesiologists should find these techniques easier to use in their clinical practices.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Double-blind evaluation of analgesic efficacy of orally administered diclofenac, nefopam, and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) plus codeine in chronic cancer pain.
The analgesic efficacy and toxicity of oral diclofenac sodium 50 mg (q.i.d.) vs. nefopam 60 mg (q.i.d.) and a combination of 640 mg ASA and 40 mg codeine (q.i.d.) in cancer patients with moderate to severe chronic pain has been evaluated in a randomized double-blind study. Planned duration of treatment was 10 days. Pain intensity was evaluated by a visual analog scale. ⋯ Patients treated with nefopam had a significantly shorter period in the study than patients treated with the other 2 treatments. Adverse effects were slightly more frequent with the nefopam and ASA + codeine regimens. The 3 therapeutic regimens appear to be similar as to analgesic efficacy, but diclofenac presents the advantage of a slightly better safety profile than nefopam and the ASA + codeine combination.
-
The pharmacist's role in the implementation of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) in a 400-bed community hospital is described. PCA for postoperative patients was introduced on the recommendation of the pharmacy and therapeutics committee. A subcommittee selected a PCA pump, developed a physician order form and patient monitoring sheet, and in March 1987 initiated a two-month pilot study of PCA therapy in orthopedic-surgery patients. ⋯ Pharmacists in the decentralized areas also provided one-on-one instruction to physicians, nurses, and patients. Positive evaluations of PCA therapy by patients and nurses and favorable patient pain assessment scores, in addition to the hospital-wide acceptance and use of PCA by medical staff, indicated that the program was a success. Active pharmacist participation was a major factor in PCA being well accepted by physicians, nurses, and patients as an effective alternative method of narcotic administration.