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Routes of administration

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Opioids may be administered via the following routes:

  • intramuscularly
  • intravenously:
    • patient-controlled
    • constant rate infusion
  • subcutaneously
  • orally
  • epidurally

Close scrutiny must be paid to the patient receiving opioids because of the unpredictability of side effects. Hence, hourly respiration rates and sedation scores, and ideally pulse oximetry, should be instituted.

Ref: Rowbotham, D. (1993). Postoperative pain. Prescribers' Journal, 33:6, 237-243.


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