ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:
Pain is a major manifestation of patients in immediate postoperative period, being an individual and subjective complaint affecting patients' quality of life. This study aimed at evaluating the use of analgesics in the immediate postoperative period of patients assisted in a postanesthetic care unit.
METHODS:
Data were collected in the period from March to April 2016. This is a cross-sectional, quantitative study, carried out in the post-anesthetic care unit of a Level IV Hospital of Rio Grande do Sul. Short-form McGill pain questionnaire was used for socio-demographic and clinical characterization of patients.
RESULTS:
Participated in the study 336 patients, most (68.8%) female and elderly. Body mass index (BMI) was higher than 25, indicating overweight or obesity. Perioperative opioid analgesics were used by 266 patients. There has been statistical association between no postoperative pain and the use of any opioid. Most frequent class of drugs used in the perioperative period were opioid analgesics, especially fentanyl and remifentanil for surgeries with general anesthesia, and morphine (0.2mg) for spinal anesthesia.
CONCLUSION:
This study aimed at bringing subsidies on the need for adequate drugs associated to the anesthetic technique to maintain patients in better physiological conditions, with longer painless periods and less adverse effects, thus promoting more adequate quality of life during this critical period.
Keywords:
Analgesia; Hospitalized patients; Pain; Postoperative pain