Meperidine

General

• Type: opioid
• Dosage Forms: PO, SC,IM,IV
• Common Trade Names: Demerol

Adult Dosing

General

Pain:

• 50-150mg PO/SC/IM/IV q3-4h: decrease dose if given IV. Seizure risk if dose > 600mg in 24 hours.

Pediatric Dosing

Pain: 1-1.75mg/kg PO/SC/IM q3-4h, max 100mg/dose

Special Populations

• Pregnancy Rating: B
• Lactation Risk Categories: safe
• Renal Dosing
  • Adult: CrCl 10-50: decrease dose 25%, if CrCl < 10: decrease dose 50%
  • Pediatric: CrCl 10-50: decrease dose 25%, if CrCl < 10: decrease dose 50%
• Hepatic Dosing
  • Adult: not defined
  • Pediatric: not defined

Contraindications

• Allergy to class/drug
• MAOI use within 14 days
• Respiratory depression

Adverse Reactions

Serious

• Respiratory Depression
• Apnea
• Hypotension
• syncope
• bradycardia
• urinary retention
• Seizures
• anaphylaxis

Common

• Nausea
• Rash
• Headache
• Fatigue
• xerostomia
• constipation
• Tremor
• urinary retention

Pharmacology

• Half-life: 3-5 hour
• Metabolism: Liver
• Excretion: urine
• Mechanism of Action:binds to various opioid receptors

Authors

Babak Missaghi, Colin Hoff, Daniel Ostermayer, Neil Young