Clinical assessment of oral meptazinol in postoperative pain

The pain relieving properties of orally administered meptazinol, a new hexahydroazepine analgesic, were studied in 51 patients recovering from major surgery. In doses of 250, 400 and 500 mg it produced significant analgesia which was maximal at the end of one hour and had a duration of action of approximately four hours. Arterial pressure and heart rate were not affected significantly by meptazinol. Nausea and vomiting were the main side-effects observed in a few patients and there were no abnormal hematological or biochemical findings.