A double-blind comparison of nalbuphine and meperidine hydrochloride as intravenous analgesics in combination with diazepam for oral surgery outpatients.

This study compared the analgesic efficacy, sedative, and amnesic properties, and side effects of nalbuphine versus meperidine as intravenous premedicants in combination with intravenous diazepam for the treatment of outpatients undergoing the removal of impacted third molars with alveolar nerve block anesthesia. Forty patients were evaluated in this double-blind crossover study. Nalbuphine was shown to have analgesic, sedative, and amnesic properties similar to meperidine. Nalbuphine, when compared to meperidine, produced significantly lower intraoperative systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Because of this cardiovascular stability, nalbuphine should be considered over meperidine for use in the cardiovascularly compromised patient undergoing oral surgery.