Dezocine for postoperative wound pain.

We assessed the analgesic effectiveness of a single intramuscular injection of dezocine, 10 mg or 15 mg; morphine, 10 mg; or a placebo in 160 patients with moderate to severe postoperative pain. Dezocine, 10 mg, was as effective as and had approximately the same duration of action as morphine, 10 mg. Dezocine, 15 mg, was more effective than 10 mg of either dezocine or morphine as assessed by three efficacy scales (verbal and analog pain intensity and pain relief), and both drugs were significantly (p less than 0.05) more effective than placebo as assessed by the three efficacy scales and the overall evaluation of the investigator. A small percentage of patients suffered nausea and became sedated; the drugs and placebo, however, did not differ statistically with respect to the side effects. Blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate generally were slightly decreased by both drugs.