Variables of patient-controlled analgesia 4: the relevance of bolus dose size to supplement a background infusion.
A range of self-administered demand doses of morphine (0.4, 0.7 and 1.0 mg) were prescribed to supplement a fixed-rate infusion (1.5 mg/hour) for pain control after gynaecological surgery. The number of demand doses administered during the first 25 hours after surgery was not significantly influenced by size of demand dose. There was a significant linear trend to increasing amount of demanded morphine with increasing bolus size. These results cast doubt on the usefulness of the concept of a minimum effective analgesic concentration of morphine.
Owen
H
H
Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, Adelaide, South Australia.
Kluger
M T
MT
Plummer
J L
JL
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012646:Self Administration; D013997:Time Factors
D009020:Morphine