Background: Coughing is quite common after surgery. However, it is believed that codeine may reduce coughing, thus, the present study was conducted to determine the effects of codeine on coughing.

Materials and methods: It was a double blind clinical trial performed on 150 subjects in the form of two groups. Induction and maintenance of anesthesia was similar in both groups. The case group had received 30mg of codeine phosphate one hour before the surgery, but the control group received placebo. Heart rate, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were determined 3 minutes following the intubations and 3 minutes after the extubation. Meanwhile, number of coughs was determined right after extubation, 3 and 10 minutes later.

Results: Groups were similar according to the age. Of placebo group, 23 (30.7%) and of the case group 19 (25.3%) had experienced severe cough (NS). The mean number of cough in the case and placebo group was 9.05±8.65 and 5.65±4.56, respectively (NS). There was no significant difference in systolic and diastolic blood pressures measured before intubation, 3 minutes after intubation and 3 minutes after extubation.