Piritramide

Piritramide (Dipidolor^®) is a synthetic opioid analgesic with about 65-75 percent of the mg-for-mg strength of morphine. A common starting dose is 15 mg IV, equivalent to 10 mg of morphine hydrochloride. Piritramide is commonly used for the treatment of postoperative pain. Piritramide was discovered at Janssen Pharmaceutica in 1960.

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Piritramide is available in tablets and ampoules of sterile solution for injection by all routes, and is used in Patient Controlled Analgesia units. In addition to PCA, piritramide is most often used in post-operative situations and emergency departments; some of its properties would seem to lend it well to chronic pain control as well. It is one of the longer-lasting opioids and has a plasma half-life of 3 to 12 hours. Piritramide tends to cause less respiratory depression and can take a while to have full effect especially if taken by mouth.

Piritramide is also known as pirinitramide. Its closest chemical relatives amongst well-known drugs are diphenoxylate (Lomotil^®) and bezitramide (Burgodin^®)

Piritramide's most common trade name is Dipidolor^® and it is used most heavily in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany.

Piritramide is a strong opioid and therefore is regulated much the same as morphine in all known jurisdictions. It was never introduced in the United States and is therefore a Schedule I/Narcotic controlled substance. It is listed under international treaties and other laws such as the German Betäubungsmittelgesetz, the Austrian Suchgiftmittelgesetz, UK Misuse of Drugs Act of 1971, and equivalents elsewhere. Strangely enough, bezitramide, which is not currently marketed in the United States is a Schedule II/Narcotic controlled substance.

Piritramide has a small but dedicated community of recreational users and it has the street names P, Dip (rhymes with "pipe") and Pierrette.

References

• Janssen PA, Pirinitramide (R 3365), a potent analgesic with unusual chemical structure, J Pharm Pharmacol. 1961 Sep;13:513-30.
• Kay B, A clinical investigation of piritramide in the treatment of postoperative pain, Br J Anaesth. 1971 Dec;43(12):1167-71.
• German Wikipedia article on Piritramide