A double-blind comparison of two analgesics with placebo control.

The value of adding a sedative to commonly used analgesic agents to promote further the relief of pain was studied by a double-blind procedure in 90 post-surgical patients during 188 pain episodes. In moderate pain episodes, no statistically significant difference between the analgesic-sedative combination (Fiorinal-C(1/4)) and the analgesic (APC-C) was observed, although both compounds were superior to placebo (p <0.001). In severe pain episodes, the analgesic-sedative combination was superior to the analgesic alone; the analgesic, in turn, was superior to placebo (p <0.001).It is concluded that analgesia is more effective if associated apprehension is relieved by sedation.