Butorphanol: a double-blind comparison with pentazocine in post-operative patients with moderate to severe pain.
A double-blind, randomized trial was conducted with 124 post-operative patients to compare the analgesic activity and possible side-effects of a new synthetic analgesic--butorphanol tartrate (1, 2, and 4 mg)--and pentazocine lactate (30 and 60 mg), adminstered intramuscularly. Butorphanol was determined to be 16 times more potent than pentazocine, on a weight basis. Both medications provided maximum pain relief within one hour after administration, and had comparable durations of action. Drowsiness was the most common side-effect, and it appeared to be dose related in all test groups.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000700:Analgesics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005221:Fatigue / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009019:Morphinans / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010423:Pentazocine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000700:Analgesics; D009019:Morphinans; D010423:Pentazocine