Question:

Which drug is used for analgesia in OPD or day-care (outpatient) surgical settings?

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Choose the ultra-short-acting opioid suited to same-day discharge.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
  • Morphine
  • Pethidine
  • Fentanyl
  • Alfentanil
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Day-care or OPD surgery needs drugs with a very rapid onset and a short, predictable recovery so the patient can be discharged the same day.

Step 2: Alfentanil is an ultra-short-acting opioid with a fast onset and a short duration of action. This rapid offset makes it ideal for brief outpatient analgesia where quick recovery is essential.

Step 3: The other opioids do not fit day-care needs. Morphine and pethidine are longer-acting and cause more prolonged sedation and respiratory depression. Fentanyl, although potent and short, is longer acting than alfentanil and accumulates with repeated dosing.

Step 4: Other useful day-care drugs include propofol, midazolam, mivacurium, sevoflurane, desflurane and isoflurane. Thus the analgesic of choice for OPD surgery is Alfentanil.
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