Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: DEMEROL versus OPANA.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: DEMEROL versus OPANA.
DEMEROL vs OPANA
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.
Mu-opioid receptor agonist; produces analgesia by binding to opioid receptors in the CNS, inhibiting ascending pain pathways and altering pain perception.
50-150 mg IM, IV, or SC every 3-4 hours as needed for pain; oral 50-150 mg every 3-4 hours.
5-20 mg orally every 4-6 hours as needed for pain; extended-release tablets: 5 mg orally every 12 hours, titrated up to 20 mg every 12 hours.
None Documented
None Documented
2.5-4 hours; prolonged in hepatic impairment (7-11 hours) and elderly.
Terminal elimination half-life is 11-16 hours (mean 14 hours) in adults; prolonged in hepatic impairment (up to 30 hours) and elderly.
Renal (90% as metabolites and unchanged drug; ~5% unchanged) and biliary/fecal (minor).
Primarily renal (approximately 90% as conjugated metabolites, 10% unchanged); biliary/fecal elimination accounts for <10%.
Category C
Category C
Opioid Analgesic
Opioid Analgesic