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Single dose oxycodone and oxycodone plus paracetamol (acetominophen) for acute postoperative pain.
J E Edwards1, R A Moore, H J McQuay
1Pain Research Unit, Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics, Churchill Hospital, Old Road, Oxford, UK, OX3 7LJ. jayne.edwards@pru.ox.ac.uk
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|October 18, 2000
Summary
Single-dose oxycodone and oxycodone with paracetamol effectively manage severe pain. However, central nervous system adverse effects like drowsiness and nausea are common with these potent opioid analgesics.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Trials
- Pain Management
Background:
- Oxycodone is a potent opioid analgesic for severe pain.
- Assessing relative efficacy and harm of different pain treatments is crucial.
- Comparative analysis under similar clinical conditions is necessary.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively assess analgesic efficacy of single-dose oxycodone and oxycodone plus paracetamol.
- To evaluate adverse effects of these treatments in randomized trials.
- Focus on acute postoperative pain management.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of published randomized trials.
- Inclusion criteria: double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of oral oxycodone and oxycodone/paracetamol.
- Data extraction on pain relief (≥50% reduction) and adverse effects.
Main Results:
- Seven trials met criteria, all using oral oxycodone.
- Oxycodone and oxycodone/paracetamol showed significant efficacy over placebo, except for oxycodone 5 mg.
- Increased adverse effects, including drowsiness, nausea, and dizziness, were reported with active drugs versus placebo.
Conclusions:
- Single-dose oral oxycodone, with or without paracetamol, is comparable in efficacy to intramuscular morphine and NSAIDs.
- Central nervous system adverse effects are a common concern.
- This highlights the need to balance efficacy with potential side effects in pain management.