Anyone know about Demerol?

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

Do you know why Demerol use is being phased out? I'm not able to find anything online other than the general side effects.

Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

see:

demerol is passe?? can anyone fill me in? - allnurses.com nursing ...

no more demerol iv push???

meperidine-a liability

pain control

ajn, american journal of nursing. 101(1):57-58, january 2001.

waitman, jeanette bsn, rn; mccaffery, margo ms, rn, faan; pasero, chris ms, rn

abstract

even patients with no known risk factors may develop meperidine-induced cns toxicity.

Demerol is not a preferred narcotic for several reasons.

a. Is has metabolties that build up and cause a reaction.

B. short acting.

C. Ineffective by mouth.

Check the WHO pain ladder and you'll see that Demerol is not recommended.

Demerol masks the pain with heavy CNS sedation. The sedation can impede recovery by not only not treating the pain, but by also limiting energy supplies that pts need to recover. And, if given for migraines, the heavy CNS sedation can promote rebound migraines once the sedation starts to wear off.

There are many other pain medicines that are much "cleaner" for the pt that do a much better job at controlling the pain while able to be alert and participate in their recovery.

This was a short and sweet message! Very well said!

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