title: Perspectives on Intravenous Oxycodone for Control of Postoperative Pain.
abstract: Intravenous (IV) analgesia has particular advantages in the immediate postoperative period. For example, IV administration results in a faster onset of pain relief and results in more predictable pharmacokinetics than does administration by other routes. It also allows for convenient dosing before or during surgery, permitting the initiation of effective analgesia in the early phase of the postoperative period. In addition, when patients are able to tolerate oral intake, they can be switched from IV to oral dosing based on maintaining the predictable analgesia established by the IV route. IV morphine is widely used for the control of postoperative pain, but there is a trend toward the use of oxycodone. Oxycodone (which may be mediated partly through kappa- as well as mu-opioid receptors) offers several potential advantages. Published studies comparing IV oxycodone to other IV opioids for postsurgical pain report that oxycodone is a safe and effective analgesic. Some studies show that IV oxycodone may be associated with greater pain control, fewer or less severe adverse events, and faster onset of action, although the results are not consistent across all studies. Oxycodone has been reported to be safe in the geriatric and other special populations when adequate clinical adjustments are made. Thus, the clinical reports and oxycodone's pharmacologic profile make intravenous oxycodone a potentially important "new" old drug for postoperative pain control.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.|Department of Pharmacology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Joseph V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Pergolizzi
authors.affiliation: Fortis Colorectal Hospital, Singapore City, Singapore.
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Seow-Choen
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Digestive Disease Center, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, Florida, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Steven D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Wexner
authors.affiliation: NEMA Research Inc., Bonita Springs, Florida, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Gianpietro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zampogna
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Temple University School of Pharmacy, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Raffa
authors.affiliation: NEMA Research Inc., Bonita Springs, Florida, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5971-361X
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D061605:Administration, Intravenous; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010098:Oxycodone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D010098:Oxycodone
keywords: acute pain service; analgesia; analgesics; intravenous; opioid; opioid analgesics; opioids; oxycodone; pain; postoperative; review