Pethidine is a drug commonly known as meperidine. You probably haven't heard too much about her. But in this article we are going to explain everything you need to know about meperidine..
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Meperidine is a narcotic analgesic whose action occurs in the central nervous system. Its use is recommended to relieve pain of medium and high intensity, as well as other similar drugs such as morphine or codeine.
Meperidine can be found under multiple brand names, although the best known are Dolantina, Demerol and Dolosal.
Of course, it is a synthetic opioid (that is, a substance similar to an opiate, but which has been developed entirely in the laboratory). Specifically, it is part of the phenylpiperidine family.
As with many other opioids, if it is withdrawn suddenly after several days of taking it, meperidine can cause withdrawal symptoms. That is why it should be withdrawn gradually.
Meperidine has a special characteristic within opioids: It is capable of blocking ion channels. That is why, unlike other opioids (we insist, it is the only one that has this characteristic), it can provide analgesia through a local anesthetic mechanism..
Due to its effects, among which are the same as in the case of morphine, but with a faster onset and shorter duration, meperidine is a drug indicated for:
However, its use is very restricted and, in many cases, it is preferred to resort to other types of drugs with similar effects, because pethidine has very powerful effects and certain extra risks compared to other opioids.
Meperidine can cause different side effects (and generally more severe than other opioids - especially natural derivatives of opium, such as heroin, morphine or cocaine).
The side effects of meperidine are nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, disorientation, sweating, euphoria ... In general, it has the same side effects as other opioids.
That is why, in the field of recreational uses, it is not usually of special taste for those who take it for the first time without having had previous experience with opiates..
Also, like any other drug, it has contraindications. Some of these contraindications are hypersensitivity to opioids, suicidal tendencies, respiratory depression, asthma and different chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases..
Of course, mixing with alcohol or other types of medications can lead to serious side effects, so during the use of meperidine, the consumption of any other substance should be eliminated (although this is something that the doctor himself will indicate in the time of prescribing the drug).
Like so many other medications (especially opioids), the recreational use and abuse of meperidine has been reasonably common. And in fact, in recent times, it has increased quite a bit.
Among the celebrities known to have consumed meperidine, we find Cayayo (ex-guitarist of the band Sentimiento Muerto, from Venezuela); David Kennedy (son of the famous politician); Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley, among others.
In recent times, as the use of other types of opioids was increasingly pursued, recreational use of meperidine has been on the rise, despite the fact that it cannot be produced or distributed without authorization..
In fact, drugs such as meperidine are behind the recent epidemic of opiate addiction that the US is going through in recent times (although saying it this way has a lot of sensationalism, really).
Meperidine, like all other opioids, can only be obtained by prescription. Therefore, any other way of acquiring it will be considered an irregular market and, therefore, will be a crime.
As you can see, meperidine is a very powerful analgesic narcotic, and it is advisable to be careful with its use, both when it is medical, and when it is recreational. We hope that this article has been useful to you and has shed light on its effects and the consequences of its consumption..
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