Why is this medication prescribed?
This medication is indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe pain.
Meperidine is in a class of medications called narcotic analgesics, and acts very much like morphine. For much of the 20th century, meperidine was the opioid of choice for many physicians. Compared to morphine, this medicine was supposed to be safer and carry less risk of addiction, and superior in treating the pain associated with biliary spasm or renal colic due to its putative antispasmodic effects.
In fact, meperidine is no more effective than morphine at treating biliary or renal pain, and its low potency, short duration of action, and unique toxicity (i.e. seizures, delirium, other neuropsychological effects) relative to other available agents have seen it fall out of favor in recent years, for all but a very few, very specific indications. Nevertheless, some physicians continue to use it as a first-line strong opioid.
Dosage and using this medicine
What special precautions should I follow?
What should I do if I forget a dose?
What side effects can this medication cause?