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Prolonged nausea and vomiting associated with buprenorphine.
T Fullerton1, E G Timm, G B Kolski
1Department of Pharmacy Services, Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital, Cooperstown, New York 13326.
Pharmacotherapy
|January 11, 1991
Summary
Buprenorphine caused significantly more nausea and vomiting than morphine or meperidine in healthy adults. This side effect was more intense with movement and may be linked to the drug
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Trials
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Opioid analgesics like morphine, meperidine, and buprenorphine are commonly used for pain management.
- Understanding their side effect profiles, including histamine release, is crucial for safe clinical practice.
Observation:
- A clinical trial was performed on 20 healthy adults to assess histamine release from intravenous morphine, meperidine, and buprenorphine.
- Nausea and vomiting were notably more frequent and severe with buprenorphine compared to the other opioids.
Findings:
- Buprenorphine administration resulted in substantially higher incidence and intensity of nausea and vomiting.
- The severity of these side effects was exacerbated by ambulation (movement).
- High-affinity receptor binding of buprenorphine is hypothesized to contribute to the prolonged duration of these adverse effects.
Implications:
- These findings suggest a distinct side effect profile for buprenorphine regarding nausea and vomiting.
- Clinicians should consider this when prescribing buprenorphine, especially in ambulatory patients.
- Further research into the mechanisms underlying buprenorphine-induced nausea and vomiting is warranted.
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