Acute pain management in infants and children-Part 2: Intravenous opioids, intravenous nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and managing adverse effects

Abstract

The field of pediatric pain management continues to evolve, with ongoing changes in our appreciation of the impact of pain on our fragile patients, a better understanding of how to assess pain, and refinements of the medications and techniques used to provide analgesia to patients with acute pain of various etiologies. The following article reviews the use of intravenous opioid and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. Options to manage specific adverse effects that may occur with opioids are presented.