Description and Brand Names

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

US Brand Name

  1. Talwin NX

Descriptions


Pentazocine and naloxone combination is used to relieve pain severe enough to require opioid treatment and when other pain medicines did not work well enough or cannot be tolerated.

Pentazocine belongs to the group of medicines called narcotic analgesics (pain medicines). It acts on the central nervous system (CNS) to relieve pain. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist. It acts on the CNS to block the effects of narcotics, especially the "high'' feeling that makes you want to use them. It will not produce any narcotic-like effects or cause mental or physical dependence.

When pentazocine is used for a long time, it may become habit-forming, causing mental or physical dependence. However, people who have continuing pain should not let the fear of dependence keep them from using narcotics to relieve their pain. Mental dependence (addiction) is not likely to occur when narcotics are used for this purpose. Physical dependence may lead to withdrawal side effects if treatment is stopped suddenly. However, severe withdrawal side effects can usually be prevented by gradually reducing the dose over a period of time before treatment is stopped completely.

This medicine is available only under a restricted distribution program called the Opioid Analgesic REMS (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy) program.

This product is available in the following dosage forms:

  • Tablet