SPEED OF ONSET OF ANALGESIC EFFECT OF INTRAVENOUS KETOROLAC COMPARED TO MORPHINE AND PLACEBO

The speed of onset of analgesia following intravenous ketorolac, morph ine and placebo was investigated in a single-dose, double-blind, rando mized, parallel group study of 105 patients. The onset of analgesia wa s defined as the time at which the pain intensity score reached 50% of the baseline score in 25% of patients. Post-operative patients with m oderate or severe pain were dosed and followed for 1 h. Pain reduction by at least 50% occurred in 25% of patients within 40 min (placebo), 15 min (morphine 5 mg), 6 min (morphine 10 mg) and 20 min (ketorolac 1 0 mg). The pain reduction time for morphine (10 mg) was significantly shorter than that for ketorolac (P = 0.01) or placebo (P<0.01).