Reduced consumption of analgesics in patients with diabetes mellitus admitted to hospital for acute myocardial infarction

In a case-control study, the consumption of analgesics was analysed in 39 patients with diabetes, admitted with acute myocardial infarction (MI). The control group comprised of non-diabetics with MI was computer-matched to the diabetic group with respect to age and sex as well as enzyme-estimated size of the infarction. The median number of injections of opioid analgesics in the diabetes and non-diabetes groups was 2 and 5, respectively (0.01 less than P less than 0.05), and the median consumption of morphine was 20 mg and 35 mg, respectively (0.01 less than P less than 0.05). There was no statistically significant trend for the duration of pain to be shorter in the diabetes group. There was no difference between the two groups with respect to number of patients with Q-wave infarct, initial heart rate-blood pressure product or body weight, all of which are possible confounders. We conclude that diabetics admitted with acute myocardial infarction have a lower consumption of analgesics than non-diabetics.