The analgesic effect of a low dose of alfentanil.
The effect of a single small dose of alfentanil (6 micrograms/kg) on postoperative pain was compared with saline using a double blind study. Pain was assessed using a linear analogue scale and shown to decrease at 2, 5 and 10 minutes after injection of alfentanil (p less than 0.01). The PE'CO2 was increased at 2 and 15 minutes (p less than 0.05) and 5 and 10 minutes (p less than 0.01) after injection of alfentanil. There were no changes in pain or PE'CO2 in the control group throughout the study. Intravenous alfentanil given to patients in pain provides quick effective analgesia for a short period of time, but respiratory depression may occur.
D015760:Alfentanil; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D001706:Biopsy; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D015760:Alfentanil; D005283:Fentanyl