[Postoperative pain treatment]

Abstract

The postoperative care of patients usually is characterized by the fact that the individual need of pain killers is not sufficiently recognized. An opioid given only when asked for, results in an underdosage as the patient does not receive the analgesic in time, so that he suffers pain. As there is insufficient knowledge with regard to the pharmacology of opioids which can be used for postoperative pain therapy, physicians and nurses usually tend to give a lower dose in order to avoid any possible side-effects. Considerations which lead to opioid underdosage include: the development of addiction and possible side-effects such as respiratory depression, heavy sedation, possible constipation and urinary retention. The aim in postoperative pain therapy is a time-contingent dosing after careful intravenous titration of the compound in the lower dose range during continuous supervision. Thus, the individual need in the recovery room can be estimated. Only such a procedure helps to keep the patient pain-free over a long period of time, reduces the workload of nurses during the night, results in the reduction of complications and finally may even reduce the hospital stay. Piritramide is a compound which has a number of potential advantages with regard to efficacy and side-effects in postoperative pain therapy. It has the highest analgesic potency among those compounds suitable for postoperative pain therapy; when compared with pethidine, pentazocine or nalbuphine it shows remarkable cardiovascular stability. In comparison to morphine, pethidine and pentazocine, piritramide has a lower incidence of nausea and vomiting. With a mean duration of action of up to six hours, piritramide has an advantage over pentazocine (3 hours), pethidine (2-3 hours) and morphine (5-6 hours). Compared to other mixed narcotic analgesics, piritramide does not induce dysphoric side-effects when given in the higher dose range and does not lead to addiction. It is derived from the same group of agents such as fentanyl or alfentanil which are used in neuroleptanaesthesia so that there is an increase in analgesia one to the interaction with the same receptor site. Piritramide has a fast onset of action, 2-5 minutes after intravenous injection and a peak action after 10 minutes. In comparison to pethidine it has no cardiovascular effects, in particular no myocardial depression or increased myocardial oxygen demand (MVO2). Last but not least, the cost-effectiveness is a financial factor of increasing importance to the institution that runs the hospital.