User:Mr. Ibrahem/Pethidine

Pethidine, also known as meperidine and sold under the brand name Demerol among others, is a pain medication of the opioid type. Specifically it may be used for moderate to severe pain for a few days. It is not a first line opioid and long term use is not recommended. It can be used mouth, or by injection into a muscle, or vein. It; however, is not very effective by mouth and such use is associated with greater toxicity. Onset of effects is within an hour and last for up to 4 hours.

Common side effects include sleepiness, seizures, agitation, vomiting, constipation, and decreased effort to breath. Other serious complications include heart arrhythmias, psychosis, addiction, low blood pressure, and serotonin syndrome. Prolonged use during pregnancy may result in neonatal abstinence syndrome in the baby. Pethidine works by binding and activating the opiate receptor.

Pethidine was patented in 1937 and approved for medical use in 1943. In the 20th century it was a commonly used opioid; in 1975, 60% of doctors prescribed it for acute pain and 22% for chronic severe pain. In the 2000s its use has become less common. It is avaliable as a generic medication. In the United Kingdom the injectable formulation costs the NHS about 0.5 pounds per 50 mg in 2020.