The use of opiates in hospital practice

: We analyzed the type and dosage of opiates used for pain in a large general hospital from April to September 1985. Information was obtained from the computerized data base in 234 patients with a mean age of 49 years. Most patients came from the surgical service. The route of administration was intramuscular in 64% and not specified in 10% of patients. The most common drug was meperidine, the dose being 65 +/- 26 mg intramuscular and 39 +/- 26 intravenously. Methadone and morphine were used with less frequency. Good analgesic effect was recorded in 42 of 71 (59%) of patients, but the effect was not written down in the majority of subjects (70%). Other analgesics were associated in 73% of cases, most commonly a pyrazolone derivative. Nausea or vomiting was observed in only 12 patients; there were no instances of respiratory depression. We conclude that the dose of opiate used was frequently low and the associated drugs were not the best to obtain increased analgesic effect. Better recording of clinical effect of analgesics is needed in medical practice.