Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: DEMEROL versus LEVORPHANOL TARTRATE.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: DEMEROL versus LEVORPHANOL TARTRATE.
DEMEROL vs LEVORPHANOL TARTRATE
Comparing the clinical profiles, pharmacokinetic behaviors, and safety indices of these two therapeutic agents.
Meperidine is an opioid agonist that binds to mu-opioid receptors in the central nervous system, mimicking endogenous endorphins to produce analgesia, sedation, and euphoria. It also has additional weak actions at kappa and delta receptors.
Levorphanol is a potent opioid analgesic that acts as a mu-opioid receptor agonist. It also has NMDA receptor antagonist activity, inhibits norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake, and acts as a sigma receptor agonist, contributing to its analgesic effects and reduced tolerance development.
50-150 mg IM, IV, or SC every 3-4 hours as needed for pain; oral 50-150 mg every 3-4 hours.
2 mg orally every 6-8 hours as needed for pain; for opioid-tolerant patients, doses up to 4 mg orally every 6-8 hours may be used. Parenterally: 1-2 mg subcutaneously or intramuscularly every 6-8 hours; may be given intravenously at 0.5-1 mg every 6-8 hours.
None Documented
None Documented
2.5-4 hours; prolonged in hepatic impairment (7-11 hours) and elderly.
11-16 hours; extended in hepatic impairment (up to 30 hours).
Renal (90% as metabolites and unchanged drug; ~5% unchanged) and biliary/fecal (minor).
Renal: approximately 30% as unchanged drug and 50% as glucuronide conjugates; fecal: 20% via biliary excretion.
Category C
Category C
Opioid Analgesic
Opioid Analgesic