Use of Oral Narcotic Analgesics for Premedication

For the interventional radiologist, the goal of premedication is to keep the patient as comfortable as possible throughout the procedure. To achieve this goal, radiologists have adopted many traditional therapeutic modalities for pain control but also seek alternatives that meet their needs and those of their patients more closely. This article will examine the potential of oral narcotic agents, alone or in combination with other oral agents, as alternatives or adjuncts to traditional pain control premedication.