Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, Vol 19, 87-96, Copyright © 1972 by Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society

Postoperative Analgesia - Comparison of Methotrimeprazine (Nozinan®) and Meperidine (Demerol®) as Postoperative Analgesia Agents

¹ Department of Anaesthesia, St Boniface General Hospital, Associate professor, Department of Anaesthesia, University of Manitoba

The analgesic properties of methotrimeprazine 10 mgm and meperidine 50 mgms were compared in a blind study on 197 postoperative patients. Comparatively satisfactory pain relief was obtained with either active drug with the dossage schedule utilized. Hypotension was not a consistent or highly significant finding with methotrimeprazine except in the group over 42 years of age. Other factors have not been ruled out in the study. The incidence of nausea and vomiting was least with methotrimeprazine. On the other hand deep sedation associated with the use of methotrimeprazine (Nozinan®) was significantly more than that seen with meperidine.

It appers from this study that methotrimeprazine provides satisfactory relief of pain in the postoperative patient. This factor combined with its lack of addicting potential makes methotrimeprazine particularly useful in knoun addicts. The use of this analgesic drug should also be considered in patients who are excessively anxious, or who have a previous history of nausea and vomiting associated with anaesthetic procedures. The only serious objection is the occasional incidence of deep sedation or excessive drowsiness which may be alarming but is without danger.

I wish to acknowledge my gratitude to Poulenc Limited for supplying us with the labelled ampoules and all the drugs used in this investigation. Miss Sue Semeillon, Assistant to Dr F. Poulin, Medical Director, Poulenc Limited Deserves our special thanks for her invaluable help in constructing the tables used for this study and in performing all the statistical analyses.