A COMPARISON OF INTRAMUSCULAR KETOROLAC, PENTAZOCINE AND DICLOFENAC SODIUM IN POSTOPERATIVE PAIN

Ketorolac 30 mg, pentazocine 30 mg and diclofenac sodium 75 mg were gi ven intramuscularly and evaluated in postoperative pain after orthopae dic or general abdominal surgery. 156 patient participants received si ngle doses of either of the drugs, administered in a double blind, ran domized fashion. Pain scores (verbal and visual analogue) were recorde d at baseline and assessed at 30 minutes and then hourly up to 6 hours . Pain relief was rated at the same times. Ketorolac was found to be s uperior than diclofenac with a much longer peak analgesic effect. As c ompared to pentazocine, ketorolac produced more analgesia after 2 hour s. Remedication was least in patients who received ketorolac. The most common side effects were pain on injection with diclofenac and vomiti ng and somnolence with pentazocine.