What Is Morphine Used For?
Morphine is used for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. Morphine is commonly used to treat temporary pain after surgery or heart attacks and to manage chronic pain from medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. Morphine is also sometimes used to treat pain during childbirth. Occasionally, morphine is used as a cough suppressant or to assist with anesthesia during surgical procedures.
Morphine is a type of drug called an opioid. Opioids are substances that act on opioid receptors found in the central and peripheral nervous system. Other common opioids include heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone and codeine. Morphine is marketed under several generic and brand name products, including:
- MS-Contin
- Oramorph SR
- MSIR Solution
- Roxanol
- Kadian
- RMS
- Astramorph
- Duramorph
- Infumorph
Dosage and Administration
Morphine formulations include injections, oral solutions, tablets, capsules and suppositories. Tablets and capsules come in immediate and extended-release formulations. Different morphine doses are needed depending on the patient, their pain level and their history of morphine use.
Patients who never used morphine before will need a lower dose compared to patients who have a history of morphine use, as a drug tolerance can occur over time. Morphine dosage regimens vary depending on the formulation used and the intended treatment purpose. Some normal doses of morphine include:
Oral immediate-release formulation:
- Tablets: 15 mg to 30 mg orally every four hours as needed
- Oral solution: 10 mg to 20 mg orally every four hours as needed
Oral extended-release formulation:
- Tablets: 15 mg orally every 8 or 12 hours
- Capsules: 30 mg orally every 24 hours
Injectable formulation:
- Intravenous (IV): 0.1 mg to 0.2 mg per kilogram via slow IV injection every four hours, as needed
- Intramuscular (IM): 10 mg every four hours, as needed (based on a 70 kg adult)
The lethal dosage of morphine varies depending on the patient and their previous morphine use. The minimum lethal dose of morphine sulfate is reported as 120 mg. However, the lethal dose can be as low as 60 mg in susceptible patients or as high as 3000 mg in tolerant patients.