Meperidine is an opioid agonist sold in the U.S. under 2 brand and generic names, for pain. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
From the FDA label for Demerol (application NDA021171). Other meperidine products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
DEMEROL Injection should be prescribed only by healthcare professionals who are knowledgeable about the use of opioids and how to mitigate the associated risks. ( 2.1 ) • Use the lowest effective dosage for the shortest duration of time consistent with individual patient treatment goals. Reserve titration to higher doses of DEMEROL Injection for patients in whom lower doses are insufficiently effective and in whom the expected benefits of using a higher dose opioid clearly outweigh the substantial risks. ( 2.1 , 5 ) • Many acute pain conditions (e.g., the pain that occurs with a number of surgical procedures or acute musculoskeletal injuries) require no more than a few days of an opioid analgesic. Clinical guidelines on opioid prescribing for some acute pain conditions are available. ( 2.1 ) • Initiate the dosing regimen for each patient individually, taking into account the patient’s underlying cause and severity of pain, prior analgesic treatment and response, and risk factors for addiction, abuse, and misuse. ( 2.1 , 5.2 ) • Respiratory depression can occur at any time during opioid therapy, especially when initiating and following dosage increases with DEMEROL Injection. Consider this risk when selecting an initial dose and when making dose adjustments. ( 2.2 , 5.3 ) • Periodically reassess patients receiving DEMEROL…
The following serious adverse reactions are described, or described in greater detail, in other sections: • Addiction, Abuse, and Misuse [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] • Life-Threatening Respiratory Depression [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] • Interactions with Benzodiazepines or Other CNS Depressants [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] • Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] • Opioid-Induced Hyperalgesia and Allodynia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7) ] • Serotonin Syndrome with Concomitant Use of Serotonergic Drugs [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8) ] • Adrenal Insufficiency [see Warnings and Precautions (5.10) ] • Severe Hypotension [see Warnings and Precautions (5.11) ] • Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.13) ] • Seizures [see Warnings and Precautions (5.14) ] • Withdrawal [see Warnings and Precautions (5.15) ] The following adverse reactions associated with the use of meperidine were identified in clinical studies or postmarketing reports. Because some of these reactions were reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. The major hazards of meperidine, as with other opioid analgesics, are respiratory depression and, to a lesser degree, circulatory…
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Typical price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 54/100 | Prescription | Injectable | Generic | $0 | View → | |
| 2 |
Imprint codes, colour and shape from the FDA’s labelling data. Match the imprint on your pill — or search any imprint.
| Imprint | Strength | Colour | Shape | Maker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54;879 | 50 mg | white | round | — |
| 54;879 | 50 mg | white | round | — |
| 54;163 | 100 mg | white | round | — |
| G;L;214 | 50 mg | white | round | — |
| E50 | 50 mg | white | round | — |
| E51 | 100 mg | white |
A combination is a different drug — different dosing, different warnings. It is listed here so you can find it, not so you can substitute it.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Injection is contraindicated in patients with: • Significant respiratory depression [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] • Acute or severe bronchial asthma in an unmonitored setting or in the absence of resuscitative equipment [see Warnings and Precautions (5.9) ] • Concurrent use of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) or use of MAOIs within the last 14 days [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) , Drug Interactions (7) ] • Known or suspected gastrointestinal obstruction, including paralytic ileus [see Warnings and Precautions (5.13) ] • Hypersensitivity to meperidine (e.g., anaphylaxis) [see Adverse Reactions (6) ] • Significant respiratory depression. ( 4 ) • Acute or severe bronchial asthma in an unmonitored setting or in absence of resuscitative equipment. ( 4 ) • Concurrent use of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) or use of MAOIs within the last 14 days. ( 7 ) • Known or suspected gastrointestinal obstruction, including paralytic ileus. ( 4 ) • Hypersensitivity to meperidine or to any other ingredients of the product. ( 4 )
Table 1 includes clinically significant drug interactions with DEMEROL Injection. Table 1: Clinically Significant Drug Interactions with DEMEROL Injection Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) Clinical Impact: Meperidine is contraindicated in patients who are receiving monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors or those who have recently received such agents. Therapeutic doses of meperidine have occasionally precipitated unpredictable, severe, and occasionally fatal reactions in patients who have received such agents within 14 days. The mechanism of these reactions is unclear but may be related to a preexisting hyperphenylalaninemia. Some have been characterized by coma, severe respiratory depression, cyanosis, and hypotension, and have resembled the syndrome of acute opioid overdose. Serotonin syndrome with agitation, hyperthermia, diarrhea, tachycardia, sweating, tremors, and impaired consciousness may also occur. In other reactions the predominant manifestations have been hyperexcitability, convulsions, tachycardia, hyperpyrexia, and hypertension [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) ] . Intervention: Do not use DEMEROL Injection in patients taking MAOIs or within 14 days of stopping such treatment. Intravenous hydrocortisone or prednisolone have been used to treat severe reactions, with the addition of intravenous chlorpromazine in those cases exhibiting hypertension and…
| Not yet rated |
| Prescription |
| Injectable |
| Generic |
| $0 |
| View → |
| round |
| — |