Ketorolac for postoperative analgesia in elderly patients.

Ketorolac was compared with papaveretum followed by paracetamol plus dextropropoxyphene orally, for postoperative pain relief in elderly orthopaedic patients. Seventy-two patients over the age of 65 years were entered into a double-blind, randomised trial. Pain and pain relief were recorded during an intramuscular and an oral phase, lasting up to 8 days, and a global assessment was made at the end of the study. No difference was demonstrated between the two treatment groups. The incidence of side effects was similar in both groups. It was concluded that ketorolac could provide pain relief equivalent to papaveretum for many patients.