KETOROLAC VERSUS MEPERIDINE FOR PAIN RELIEF AFTER ORTHOPEDIC-SURGERY

In this double-blind, randomized, multicenter study, 244 patients with at least moderate pain after major orthopaedic surgery received intra muscular Ketorolac (60 mg followed by 30 mg) or intramuscular meperidi ne (100 mg or placeho) every 2 to 6 hours as needed for as many as 5 d ays, Analgesic response was evaluated for 6 hours after initial study drug administration and thereafter each night at bedtime, Both active treatment groups had similar 3-hour summed pain intensity difference a nd 3-hour total pain relief scores after the first dose that were supe rior to placebo, The 6-hour summed pain intensity difference and total pain relief scores were significantly higher with Ketorolac than with meperidine or placebo. The mean daily categorical pain intensity scor es were comparable with Ketorolac and meperidine, and both were signif icantly superior to placebo, Patient ratings of overall medication eff icacy were significantly better with Ketorolac than with meperidine, I n both patient and observer evaluations, Ketorolac was significantly b etter tolerated than meperidine, and the number of patients reporting adverse events was lower with Ketorolac than with meperidine. Followin g major orthopaedic surgery, Ketorolac provided effective analgesia th at was superior to placebo and at least comparable with meperidine. Ke torolac was better tolerated than meperidine.