Meperidine

Usual Dosing (Adults)

Oral: Initial: Opiate-naive: 50 mg q 3-4 hours prn. Usual range: 50-150 mg q2-4 hours prn.
IM, SC: Initial: Opiate-naive: 50-75 mg q 3-4 hours prn.

Renal Dosing

Meperidine is not recommended for the management of chronic pain. When used for acute pain (in patients without renal or CNS disease), treatment should be limited to 48 hours and doses should not exceed 600 mg/24 hours.

[CRCL >50 ml/min]: Usual doses. Limit therapy to 48hr and do not exceed 600 mg/24 hours.

[10-50 ml/min]: Avoid use. Note: Repeated use in renal impairment should be avoided due to potential accumulation of neuroexcitatory metabolite normeperidine. Alternatively, cautiously administer 75% of normal dose and limit therapy to 24-48hr. Also, daily dose should not exceed 400-450 mg/24 hours.

[<10 ]: Avoid use. Note: Repeated use in renal impairment should be avoided due to potential accumulation of neuroexcitatory metabolite normeperidine. Alternatively, cautiously administer 50% of normal dose and limit therapy to 24hr. Also, daily dose should not exceed 200-300 mg/24 hours.

Hemodialysis

Avoid use.

Reference(s)

National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, DailyMed Database.
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