title: Renal failure and the use of morphine in intensive care.
abstract: Intravenous morphine infusions were given to 20 patients in the intensive-care unit to provide sedation and analgesia. In 10 of the patients renal impairment was already present or developed during intensive care. Plasma morphine concentrations for a given dose of morphine and morphine clearance depended on renal function; dose-related plasma morphine concentrations rose as renal function deteriorated. Reduced morphine clearance leads to increased elimination half-life of the drug, and neurological impairment caused by unrecognised high concentrations of morphine could result in an incorrect diagnosis of cerebral damage in patients in intensive care.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: McQuay
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sear
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003422:Critical Care; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D009020:Morphine; D003404:Creatinine