Articles: analgesics.
-
J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. · Mar 1994
The heroin metabolite, 6-monoacetylmorphine, activates delta opioid receptors to produce antinociception in Swiss-Webster mice.
Heroin activates delta receptors, whereas morphine activates mu receptors, in the brain of Swiss-Webster mice, to produce antinociception. The present study determined the type of opioid receptor activated by 6-monoacetylmorphine (MAM), a metabolite of heroin. Intracerebroventricular MAM-induced inhibition of the tail-flick response was reduced by coadministration of naltrindole (a delta opioid receptor antagonist), suggesting that i.c.v. ⋯ MAM acted on spinal mu receptors because i.t. administration of naloxone, but not naltrindole, produced inhibition. In conclusion, the ability to ascribe delta receptor selectivity to the action of heroin and MAM in Swiss-Webster mice served to reinforce the concept that heroin and MAM act primarily on their own and not through formation of morphine. Further elucidation of the difference in heroin and MAM receptor selectivities between Swiss-Webster and ICR mice might contribute to a better understanding of opioid receptor mechanisms.
-
To determine current practices in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) of managing postoperative pain, pain associated with nonsurgical procedures and disease-related pain. ⋯ Analgesic use for the management of postoperative pain in neonates having undergone cardiac and major surgery is frequent but continues to be infrequent in the postoperative care of patients having undergone minor surgery in some NICUs. Procedural and disease-related pain is frequently untreated or undertreated. Guidelines for establishing a protocol to manage pain in NICUs are given.
-
To investigate the frequency of emergency department analgesic use in children with presumably painful fractures who are also at risk for associated multiple injuries and to determine whether there are specific factors that distinguish those who are prescribed analgesics from those who are not. ⋯ Our results suggest that ED analgesic use was low in these mildly to moderately injured children with presumably painful fractures who are also at risk for associated multiple injuries. Head injury was associated with especially low analgesic use. We did not identify other specific factors that distinguished those who received analgesics from those who did not. Further investigation is required to determine if after the initial evaluation, a larger proportion of mildly to moderately injured trauma victims with fractures are appropriate candidates for ED analgesic use.