Pethidine is a potent analgesic which produces a prompt but short-lasting analgesia - the half life is around two hours. Thus, it is not useful in the management of terminal care, but may be used in situations such as childbirth, especially as it has been suggested that it has less effect on the respiratory rate than the opiate analgesics. Even in this case, it may be necessary to administer narcotic antagonists. It has been used for peri-operative analgesia but in many ways it has been surpassed by newer drugs with lesser side effects.
Pethidine in normal clinical practice is usually given in cases where pain is of a colicky nature, for example in renal stones.
Pethidine is given in doses starting at 50 to 100mg intramuscularly, i.e. about 10 fold greater than morphine.
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