African Health OER Network: Respiratory Depression Effect of Morphine on Rabbits

Respiratory Depression is a reduction in the rate of respiration. It may be induced by some medicines.

Morphine is an extremely potent opiate analgesic psycho-active drug, and is considered to be the prototypical opioid. In clinical medicine, Morphine is regarded as the good standard or benchmark of analgesics used to relieve severe or agonising pain and suffering.

Morphine acts directly on the central nervous system to relieve pain. One of the main adverse effects of morphine is respiratory depression. Morphine also causes miosis.

This module has been internally reviewed by a cross-disciplinary committee within KNUST prior to releasing as an Open Educational Resource.

Authors: George Koffour, Samuel Owusu Agyeman-Duah, Benjamin Prempeh

Institution: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology