An estimate of meperidine usage in West Virginia hospitals

Meperidine (Demerol) is a synthetic opiate that has been utilized for decades. Nonetheless, its safety and efficacy profile relative to other opiates have led many to advocate against its use. We attempted to estimate current usage of meperidine by hospitals in West Virginia.

Pharmacists at each hospital in West Virginia were surveyed by telephone. They were asked to estimate meperidine use as a proportion of all opiates used in their hospital. They were also queried about usage patterns and for the presence of any documented restrictions on the use of meperidine.

64% of hospitals in West Virginia report low usage of meperidine (<10% of all opiates). Of those hospitals with meperidine available on formulary, 47% reported the presence of documented policies or practices designed to limit meperidine usage. When used, meperidine is most commonly administered in connection with surgical procedures.

Many West Virginia hospitals are limiting meperidine usage, in apparent accordance with guideline recommendations. However, traditional patterns of usage for certain indications remain.