Intravenous opiate therapy
Opiates have several beneficial effects in acute heart failure:
- sedation:
- eases the patients distress
- reduces sympathetic activity
- reduces left ventricular end diastolic pressure
- may be a weak diuretic
Doses are given over 3-5 minutes:
- diamorphine 5 mg iv or morphine 10 mg iv
Patients with liver or lung disease should be given opiates cautiously.
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