Low ceiling respiratory depression by ciramadol.
Ciramadol, an agonist-antagonist analgesic of lesser milligram potency than morphine, given intravenously at 30 mg/70 kg produced respiratory depression equivalent to that observed with morphine 10 mg/70 kg. Respiratory depression was measured in terms of drug induced displacement of the carbon dioxide response curve of healthy volunteers. In contrast to the progressive respiratory depression by each 10 mg/70 kg increment of morphine, further doses of ciramadol up to 90 mg/70 kg failed to increase respiratory depression. The ceiling of respiratory depression by ciramadol was half the ceiling previously demonstrated for nalbuphine and dezocine. Ceiling respiratory depression may be a general characteristic of agonist-antagonist type analgesics in contrast to pure agonist analgesics.
D001596:Benzylamines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors
D001596:Benzylamines; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D009020:Morphine; C018273:ciramadol