Double-blind comparison of intravenously injected butorphanol and meperidine in parturients

Abstract

One hundred women with moderate-to-very-severe prepartum pain participated in a double-blind study of intravenously injected butorphanol and meperidine that compared the analgesic properties, effect on the process of labor, condition of the newborn and the incidence of side effects associated with the two drugs. Cervical dilation, infant birth weight and Apgar scores were not significantly different between the test groups. The mean fetal heart rate for the butorphanol group was significantly faster than that of the meperidine group. Butorphanol provided significantly more analgesia than meperidine at 30 minutes and one hour after administration, based on pain intensity and pain relief scores. Some side effects, including sedation, dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting and pain at the injection site, were reported for both drugs.