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Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs are widely used as analgesics, but many physicians still prescribe combined acetaminophen-codeine preparations, despite many studies showing that codeine has weak analgesic properties. In this double-blind, pharmaceutical-company-sponsored study from Norway, investigators randomized adult patients to receive 800 mg of oral ibuprofen or 800 mg of acetaminophen plus 60 mg of codeine (APAP-C) 3 times daily for 3 days after minor outpatient surgery for hemorrhoids, varicose veins, or hernia. All patients received the same regimen of intraoperative and postoperative analgesia and were asked to complete questionnaires after 24 and 72 hours.
Of the 116 patients enrolled, 104 completed the questionnaires. Pain control was …