Aspirin and Other NSAIDs General Aspects

The best representative of an NSAID is aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid Fig. 15-1). Newer NSAIDs are usually compared to aspirin in terms of efficacy and safety. Acetaminophen is another agent that is similar to aspirin and other NSAIDs in its ability to decrease pain and fever. Acetaminophen, however, is not considered an NSAID because it lacks anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant properties. For a discussion of the comparative effects of aspirin, newer NSAIDs, and acetaminophen, see Comparison of Aspirin with Other NSAIDs.  

For years, it was a mystery how a drug like aspirin could exert such a diverse range of therapeutic effects  

SECTION 4 Drugs Used to Treat Pain and Inflammation 

Prostaglandins are a group of lipidlike compounds that exhibit a wide range of physiologic activities.37 48 68 With the exception of the red blood cell, virtually every type of living cell in the human body has been 

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