Pethidine (meperidine), which has a short duration of action, has been widely and routinely prescribed for moderate-to-severe pain in medical and surgical patients (1,2). Pethidine is a synthetic opioid that was introduced in 1939 for clinical use as an anticholinergic when its analgesic properties were discovered.

What are the side effect of pethidine?

In addition to providing analgesia, pethidine, in common with other opioids, produces respiratory depression, drowsiness, sedation, mood changes, euphoria, dysphoria, mental clouding, nausea, vomiting and electroencephalographic changes. Large doses of pethidine may cause excitation and convulsions.

What is pethidine drug used for?

An analgesic is a medicine that can be used to relieve pain. Pethidine Injection is used to relieve moderate to severe pain. Including pain associated with childbirth, or during an anaesthetic or following an operation. As well as relieving pain, pethidine has other effects including a sedative (calming) effect.