Understanding Anesthesiology - The Global Regional Anesthesia ...

Morphine Sulfate
Class
Opioid analgesic (long acting). In anesthetic practice, its main use is for postoperative analgesia.
Morphine is commonly used intravenously and for spinal or epidural anesthesia/
analgesia.
Mechanism of Action
Active at the mu and kappa opioid receptors.
Dose
Adults: 2.5-15 mg IV/IM/SC
Children: 0.05-0.2 mg/kg IV/IM/SC
Onset
IV 5-10 minutes
IM 15-30 minutes
Duration
2-5 hrs IV/IM/SC
Elimination
Hepatic
Effects
CNS
Reliable analgesic effects; sedation. May cause blurred vision, syncope, euphoria, dysphoria.
All of the depressant effects of morphine are potentiated by concurrent use of sedatives, volatile
anesthetics, nitrous oxide and alcohol. Morphine’s depressant effects are also potentiated
by antihistamines, phenothiazines, butyrophenones, MAOIs and TCAs.
CVS
May cause hypotension, hypertension, bradycardia, arrhythmias.
Respiratory
Respiratory depression which at the extreme leads to apnea. May cause bronchospasm or laryngospasm.
GI
Nausea, vomiting, constipation, biliary tract spasm.
Misc.
Releases histamine. May cause pruritis, urticaria, muscle rigidity, urinary retention.
Related Glossary Terms
Alfentanil, Analgesia, Apneic threshold, Epidural analgesia, Epidural anesthesia, Fentanyl,
Naloxone, Opioids, Patient controlled analgesia, Re-narcotization, Remifentanil, Spinal anesthesia,
Sufentanil
Index
Find Term
Chapter 3 - General Anesthesia
Chapter 4 - Post-operative Pain Management
Chapter 4 - Post-operative Pain Management
Chapter 5 - Obstetrical Anesthesia
Chapter 6 - Drug Finder
Chapter 6 - Opioid agonists and antagonists