The Relative Potency of Oral Transmucosal Fentanyl Citrate Compared with Intravenous Morphine in the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Postoperative Pain

Abstract

The relative potency of oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate (OTFC) to i.v. morphine was 8-14:1. In this postoperative setting, OTFC produced rapid pain relief similar to that produced by i.v. morphine. The larger doses of OTFC (800 microg) and morphine (10 mg) produced better and more sustained analgesia than 200 microg of OTFC or 2 mg of morphine.