Experience with nalbuphine, a new opioid analgesic, in acute myocardial infarction

A total of 141 patients admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of suspected myocardial infarction were randomized to treatment with intravenous diamorphine (71) or nalbuphine (70). Myocardial infarction was subsequently confirmed in 109 patients. Both drugs provided good analgesia. Heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, peak flow and minute volume were measured over a three-hour study period. Except for a slight fall in systolic blood pressure in the nalbuphine-treated group, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups. The nalbuphine-treated group had higher levels of aspartate aminotransferase and hydroxybutyric acid dehydrogenase but not creatine phosphokinase. The haemodynamic outcome and mortality at three months of the two groups were similar. It is concluded that nalbuphine provides effective analgesia coupled with few adverse circulatory or respiratory effects.