Morphine Equivalent Dose (MME) Calculator
Determines the total daily MME to help with prescribing opioid dosage.
Refer to the text below the tool for more information about the usage of MMEs in opioid prescription to prevent overdose risk.
Morphine equivalent dosing is employed to determine a patient’s cumulative intake of any opioids over 24 hours, in an attempt to avoid the higher dosages of opioids that are associated with higher risk of overdose and mortality.
MME range | Comparative risk (Dunn et al.) | Annual overdose rate |
1 to <20 MME/day | Reference | 0.20% |
20 to <50 MME/day | 2x higher risk of overdose | Data not available |
50 to <100 MME/day | 3.7x higher risk of overdose | 0.70% |
≥100 MME/day | 8.9x higher risk of overdose | 1.80% |
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Steps on how to print your input & results:
1. Fill in the calculator/tool with your values and/or your answer choices and press Calculate.
2. Then you can click on the Print button to open a PDF in a separate window with the inputs and results. You can further save the PDF or print it.
Please note that once you have closed the PDF you need to click on the Calculate button before you try opening it again, otherwise the input and/or results may not appear in the pdf.
Morphine Milligram Equivalents
Morphine equivalent dosing is employed to determine a patient’s cumulative intake of any opioids over 24 hours, in an attempt to avoid the higher dosages of opioids that are associated with higher risk of overdose and mortality.
Tracking MMEs helps minimize the potential for prescription drug abuse/misuse.
MME is determined by using an equivalency factor to calculate a dose of morphine that is equivalent to the ordered opioid.
Opioid | MME Conversion factor | Common dosages |
Codeine | 0.15 | 15mg, 30mg, 60mg |
FentaNYL patch (Duragesic) 12.5 mcg/hr 25 mcg/hr 50 mcg/hr 75 mcg/hr 87.5 mcg/hr 100 mcg/hr |
2.4 | 12.5 mcg/hr, 25 mcg/hr, 50 mcg/hr, 75 mcg/hr, 87.5 mcg/hr, 100 mcg/hr |
FentaNYL buccal or tablets | 0.13 | 100 mcg, 200 mcg, 300 mcg, 400 mcg, 600 mcg, 800 mcg |
HYDROcodone (Vicodin, Norco, Lortab) | 1 | 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 1 mg/mL, 0.5 mg/mL, 0.667 mg/mL |
HYDROmorphone (Dilaudid) | 4 | 2 mg, 4 mg, 8 mg, 12 mg, 16 mg, 32 mg, 1 mg/mL |
Methadone | 4 (for 1-20 mg/day) | 5 mg, 10 mg, 40 mg |
8 (for 21-40 mg/day) | ||
10 (for 41-60 mg/day) | ||
12 (for >60mg/day) | ||
Morphine | 1 | 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg, 45 mg, 50 mg, 60 mg, 70 mg, 75 mg, 80 mg, 90 mg, 100 mg, 120 mg, 130 mg, 150 mg, 200 mg |
OxyCODONE (OxyCONTIN, Roxicodone) | 1.5 | 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg, 60 mg, 80 mg, 1 mg/mL, 20 mg/mL |
OxyMORphone | 3 | 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg, 1 mg/mL |
Tapentadol | 0.4 | - |
TraMADol (Ultram) | 0.1 | - |
Buprenorphine | 10 | - |
According to the CDC guidelines, opioids should be prescribed at the lowest effective dose and calculations re-checked. Also, concurrent opioid and benzodiazepine prescribing should be avoided as it increases overdose risk. Do not use in pediatric patients, to avoid unpredictable rates of absorption and risk of overdose.
CDC also recommends extra precautions when increasing to 50 MME or more per day. Please note this calculator is NOT a substitute for clinical judgment and should be used for information purpose only.
The table below summarizes risk of overdose in relation to the daily morphine equivalent dose.
MME range | Comparative risk (Dunn et al.) | Annual overdose rate |
1 to <20 MME/day | Reference | 0.20% |
20 to <50 MME/day | 2x higher risk of overdose | Data not available |
50 to <100 MME/day | 3.7x higher risk of overdose | 0.70% |
≥100 MME/day | 8.9x higher risk of overdose | 1.80% |
References
Original reference
Von Korff M, Saunders K, et al. De facto long-term opioid therapy for noncancer pain. Clin J Pain. 2008; 24(6):521-7.
Dunn KM, Saunders KW, Rutter CM, et al. Opioid prescriptions for chronic pain and overdose: a cohort study. Ann Intern Med. 2010; 152(2):85-92.
Other references
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC grand rounds: prescription drug overdoses - a U.S. epidemic. 2012; 61(01):10-13.
Specialty: Pharmacology
Article By: Denise Nedea
Published On: October 29, 2020 · 12:00 AM
Last Checked: October 29, 2020
Next Review: October 29, 2025