morphine injection

  • Pharmacy Author:
    Omudhome Ogbru, PharmD


  • Medical and Pharmacy Editor: Jay W. Marks, MD
    Jay W. Marks, MD

    Jay W. Marks, MD


What is morphine high potency injection, and how does it work (mechanism of action)?

Morphine is a chemical found in the opium plant. It is a narcotic (opiod) pain-reliever similar to hydrocodone, oxycodone, methadone, fentanyl, and other opioids. Morphine, like other opioids, stimulates receptors on nerves in the brain to increase the threshold to pain (increasing the amount of stimulation it takes to feel pain) and reduce the perception of pain (the perceived importance of the pain). The FDA approved injectable morphine in October 1986.

What brand names are available for morphine high potency injection?

Astramorph, Duramorph, Infumorph, AVINza

Is morphine high potency injection available as a generic drug?


Do I need a prescription for morphine high potency injection?


What are the side effects of morphine high potency injection?

The most frequent adverse reactions of morphine include:

Other side effects include:

Patients may also develop anemia with intrathecal injection, and pain at the injection site. The elderly may be more sensitive to adverse effects. Morphine has the potential to be habit forming. Tolerance and physical and psychological dependence may occur with prolonged use. Seizures may result from high doses. Overdoses may cause respiratory depression, coma, and death.

What is the dosage for morphine high potency injection?

Dosing is specific to the route of administration. In adults (at least 18 years of age) the initial intravenous dose should be 2 to 10 mg per 70 kg of body weight over 24 hours. For epidural administration, 5 mg may be administered initially, with a maximum dose of 10 mg over 24 hours. Initial dosing for intrathecal administration should be 0.2 to 1 mg over 24 hours.

Which drugs or supplements interact with morphine high potency injection?

Combining alcohol and other sedatives with morphine can lead to increased sedation and even cause confusion.

Fluoxetine (Prozac) may increase blood levels and the effect of morphine leading to increased side effects.

Morphine should also be avoided in patients treated with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) due to enhance toxicity of morphine including confusion, high blood pressure, tremor, hyperactivity, coma, and death. Drugs in this class include isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate), selegiline (Eldepryl), and procarbazine (Matulane), and linezolid (Zyvox). Morphine should not be administered within 14 days of stopping an MAOI.

Is morphine high potency injection safe to take if I'm pregnant or breastfeeding?

Morphine injection should only be given to pregnant women when no other method of controlling pain is available and there are methods to monitor the fetus. Newborns may exhibit withdrawal symptoms if chronic dosing is used.


What else should I know about morphine high potency injection?

What preparations of morphine high potency injection are available?

Solution 0.5, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 15, 25, and 50 mg/mL in 1, 2, 10, 20, 30, 50, and 250 mL ampules or vials. There is a preservative-free formulation for intrathecal and epidural (spinal) administration.

How should I keep morphine high potency injection stored?



Morphine injection (Astramorph, Duramorph, Infumorph, AVINza) is a narcotic prescribed for the treatment of chronic pain that has been unresponsive to non-narcotic pain medicine. Side effects, drug interactions, dosage, and pregnancy safety information should be reviewed prior to taking this medication.

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REFERENCE: FDA Prescribing Information