Pentazocine: Massive Dosage Without Side Effects

To the Editor:—  Medical research has continually sought a potent but non-narcotic analgesic agent. In the early part of this decade many morphine antagonists were screened for these attributes. From these studies, pentazocine (Talwin) emerged.¹ In early trials it was hailed for the effectiveness of its analgesic as well as its nonaddicting properties.^2,3 Thirty milligrams of pentazocine is considered to have the analgesic effect of 50 to 75 mg of meperidine or 10 mg of morphine.^4,5 Withdrawal symptoms have not been reported even after abrupt cessation in the face of months of therapy. Reports of overdosage are virtually nonexistent. Usual side effects include nausea, vomiting, and drowsiness. Respiratory depression has been reported. The usual recommended dosage for parenteral administration is 30 mg every three to four hours. The maximum suggested single dose is 60 mg.The following case is presented to demonstrate the margin of safety available