Question:medium
Which drug is used for analgesia in OPD or day-care (outpatient) surgical settings?
Which drug is used for analgesia in OPD or day-care (outpatient) surgical settings?
Show Hint
Choose the ultra-short-acting opioid suited to same-day discharge.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
- Morphine
- Pethidine
- Fentanyl
- Alfentanil
Show Solution
The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Outpatient (day-care) procedures demand an analgesic whose effect wears off quickly, because the goal is same-day discharge with minimal residual sedation or respiratory compromise.
Step 2: Alfentanil satisfies this requirement. It has a rapid onset and the shortest clinical duration among the listed opioids, so analgesia is delivered promptly and clears fast, allowing early ambulation and discharge.
Step 3: Comparing the alternatives: morphine and pethidine linger too long and carry a higher risk of delayed sedation, while fentanyl, though potent, lasts longer than alfentanil and tends to accumulate. None of these match the short turnaround needed in OPD work.
Step 4: Day-care anaesthesia commonly pairs alfentanil with short agents like propofol, midazolam and mivacurium. Hence the answer is alfentanil.
\[\boxed{\text{Alfentanil}}\]
Step 2: Alfentanil satisfies this requirement. It has a rapid onset and the shortest clinical duration among the listed opioids, so analgesia is delivered promptly and clears fast, allowing early ambulation and discharge.
Step 3: Comparing the alternatives: morphine and pethidine linger too long and carry a higher risk of delayed sedation, while fentanyl, though potent, lasts longer than alfentanil and tends to accumulate. None of these match the short turnaround needed in OPD work.
Step 4: Day-care anaesthesia commonly pairs alfentanil with short agents like propofol, midazolam and mivacurium. Hence the answer is alfentanil.
\[\boxed{\text{Alfentanil}}\]
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