RESUMO
PURPOSE: To analyze the incidence of respiratory depression (RD) in patients undergoing anesthesia using opioids in a postanesthesia care unit. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: Quantitative approach, performed by documentary analysis of medical records in the postanesthesia care unit. FINDINGS: A total of 330 patients were included in the study, with a prevalence of female (186; 56.36%) and nonobese patients (295; 89.39%). Five cases of RD in the immediate postoperative period were found, corresponding to an incidence of 1.52%. Each case in this study showed different risk factors related to opioid-induced RD. CONCLUSIONS: Nursing surveillance is essential in the decision-making process regarding the knowledge of physiological, pharmacologic, and risk factors to detect clinical signs of RD.