Morphine versus fentanyl for pain due to traumatic injury in the emergency department.

Abstract

The analgesic response and safety of intravenous morphine versus fentanyl for adult trauma patients who presented to the emergency department (ED) were evaluated. Median pain reduction on the numeric rating scale (0-10; 0 = no pain and 10 = worst possible pain) after opioid administration was similar between the groups (2 vs 2; P = .67). The lowest postdose pain score was recorded sooner in the fentanyl group than in the morphine group (22 vs 47 minutes, respectively; P < .001). There were no significant differences in drug-induced adverse effects between groups. Fentanyl produced a similar but more rapid analgesic response compared with morphine in trauma patients.

• Authors: Bradley R Wenderoth, Elizabeth T Kaneda, Albert Amini, Richard Amini, Asad E Patanwala
• Journal: Journal of trauma nursing : the official journal of the Society of Trauma Nurses (J Trauma Nurs) 2013 Jan-Mar Vol. 20 Issue 1 Pg. 10-5 ISSN: 1078-7496 [Print] United States
• PMID: 23459426 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Analgesics, Opioid
• Morphine
• Fentanyl

Topics

• Acute Pain (drug therapy, nursing)
• Adult
• Analgesics, Opioid (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Emergency Nursing (methods)
• Fentanyl (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Humans
• Middle Aged
• Morphine (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Retrospective Studies
• Wounds and Injuries (nursing)
• Young Adult