intravenous route
Last reviewed 01/2018
Intravenous analgesia has the following advantages:
- titratable
- relatively painless
- immediate onset
- shorter duration of action
- no first-pass metabolism
The disadvantages of intravenous analgesia include:
- more likely to produce respiratory depression than other routes
- may cause nausea
- expensive due to the cost of intravenous pumps and monitoring
Analgesics commonly given by the intravenous route include the opioids.