Der Anaesthesist
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
[The clinical significance of drug interactions between opiates and calcium antagonists. A randomized double-blind study using fentanyl and nimodipine within the framework of postoperative intravenous on-demand analgesia].
It is widely accepted that the nociceptive state and opiate-induced nociception are regulated at least in part by calcium ions. Animal experiments suggest that systemically or intracerebroventricularly applied calcium antagonizes analgesic effects, whereas calcium chelating agents or calcium channel blockers enhance them. Recently, von Bormann et al. [3] reported a fentanyl-saving effect in cardiovascular patients who had received an intraoperative infusion of nimodipine; this finding was discussed as a possible synergistic analgesic interaction. ⋯ Fentanyl consumption, pain scores (actual and retrospective), blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and side-effects were monitored. The mean duration of patient-controlled analgesia was 16 (P) to 19 (N) h, during which time 0.64 +/- 0.46 (N) to 0.79 +/- 0.43 (P) micrograms fentanyl/kg/h was demanded. Pain relief was very satisfactory in 92.5% of the patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)