The effect of sublingual buprenorphine (0.4 mg) was compared with that of oral dihydrocodeine (60 mg) in patients experiencing post-operative pain following general surgery.
Pain relief was significantly greater for buprenorphine than for dihydrocodeine, based on both peak effect and total effect. Both treatments were effective from 30 minutes. There was evidence that buprenorphine had a slightly slower onset of action, but a distinctly longer duration of action, than dihydrocodeine. Unwanted effects were similar for both treatments.
FryE N S (1979) Relief of pain after surgery. A comparison of sublingual buprenorphine and intramuscular papaveretum. Anaesthesia34, 549.
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GibbsJ MJohnsonH (1978) Comparison of buprenorphine and pethidine for analgesia after abdominal surgery. New Zealand Medical Journal89, 255.
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HeelR CBrogdcnR NSpeightT MAveryG S (1979) Buprenorphine a new strong analgesic. Current Therapeutics20, 29.
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HoudeR W (1979) In: Advances in Pain Research and TherapyVol 2. Ed BonicaJ JVentafriddaV. Raven Press, New York. p 266.
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JasinskiD RPevnickJ SGriffithJ D (1978) Human pharmacology and abuse potential of the analgesic buprenorphine. A potential agent for treating narcotic addiction. Archives of General Psychiatry35, 501.
7.
MassonA H B (1976) Clinical trial of buprenorphine by the sublingual route on post-operative pain. VI World Congress of Anaesthesiology, Mexico City, Session III. Symposium on new morphine, morphinoid and anti-morphinic drugs and potentiators of morphinics. Societe d'Anesthesie de Charleroi, Belgium, p 257.
8.
McQuillanD A (1976) An initial assessment of buprenorphine in post-Caesarian section pain relief. VI World Congress of Anesthesiology, Mexico City, Session III. Symposium on new morphinic, morphinoid and anti-morphinic drugs and potentiators of morphinics. Societe d'Anesthesie de Charleroi, Belgium, p 261.
9.
OggT W (1981) Sublingual buprenorphine following major gynaecological surgery. An evaluation of safety and analgesic efficacy. (To be published).
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WallenstelnS LKaikoR FRogersA GHoudeR W (1981) Clinical analgesic assay of sublingual buprenorphine and intramuscular morphine. Presentation to the Committee on Problems of Drug Dependence; San Francisco, July 1981.
