Nursing Pharmacology Chapter 13  Opioids, Pain Management and Organ System Effects

Previous Page

Page Forward

Section Table of Contents

Return to Nursing Pharmacology Table of Contents

Opioid Analgesics: Efficacy; Oral/Parenteral Potency Ratio

Generic name

Trade name

Oral/ Parenteral Potency

Maximum Efficacy

Morphine

generic

low

high

Hydromorphone

Dilaudid

low

high

Oxymorphone

Numorphan

low

high

Methadone

Dolophine

high

high

Meperidine

Demerol

medium

high

Fentanyl

Sublimaze

parenteral only

high

sufentanil

Sufenta

parenteral only

high

Alfentanil

Alfenta

parenteral only

high

Levorphanol

Levo-Dromoran

high

high

Codeine

generic

high

medium

Oxycodone

Percodan

medium

medium

Dihydrocodeine

Drocode

medium

medium

Propoxyphene

Darvon

oral only

low

Pentazocine

Talwin

medium

low

Nalbuphine

Nubain

parenteral only

low

Buprenorphine

Buprenex

parenteral only

low

Adapted from Table 31-2: Way, W.L., Fields, H.L. and Way, E. L. Opioid Analgesics and Antagonists, in Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, (Katzung, B. G., ed) Appleton-Lange, 1998, p. 501; selection of an appropriate analgesic will depend on the severity and type of pain.

 

Previous Page

Page Forward

Section Table of Contents

Return to Nursing Pharmacology Table of Contents

  1. Way, W.L., Fields, H.L. and Way, E. L. Opioid Analgesics and Antagonists, in Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, (Katzung, B. G., ed) Appleton-Lange, 1998, pp 496-515;

  2. Schuckit, M.A. and Segal D.S., Opioid Drug Abuse and Dependence, In Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine 14th edition, (Isselbacher, K.J., Braunwald, E., Wilson, J.D., Martin, J.B., Fauci, A.S. and Kasper, D.L., eds) McGraw-Hill, Inc (Health Professions Division), 1998, pp 2508-2512;

  3. Coda, B.A. Opioids, In Clinical Anesthesia, 3rd Edition (Barash, P.G., Cullen, B.F. and Stoelting, R.K.,eds) Lippincott-Ravin Publishers, Philadelphia, New York, 1997, pp 329-358.