The respiratory depressant effects of nalbuphine and papaveretum as intramuscular premedication.

Forty-four patients scheduled for routine gynaecological surgery through a Pfannenstiel incision were given either nalbuphine or papaveretum as premedication, with hyoscine. Respiratory depression was measured by carbon dioxide rebreathing before and one hour after premedication. Both combinations produced significant respiratory depression as measured by the rebreathing test but no significant difference could be shown between the drugs in this respect.