Pharmacologic treatment of pain

An analgesic drug acts on the nervous system to suppress or eliminate pain without causing loss of consciousness. As such, an ideal analgesic would exhibit the following qualities [Pg.87]

Pain medications may be divided into three categories [Pg.87]

Nonnarcotic analgesics. The nonnarcotic analgesics include aspirin, NSAIDs, and acetaminophen. Aspirin acts centrally and peripherally to block the transmission of pain impulses. Furthermore, it reduces fever and inflammation and inhibits synthesis of the prostaglandins that increase the sensitivity of nociceptors. [Pg.87]

Acetaminophen, another alternative to aspirin, is an effective analgesic and fever-reducing agent. However, this medication has no effect on inflammation. [Pg.88]

Morphine may be administered orally, intravenously, or epidurally. An advantage of epidural administration is that it provides effective analgesia while minimizing the central depressant effects associated with systemic administration. The mechanism of action with the epidural route of administration involves opioid receptors on the cell bodies of first-order sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglia as well as their axon terminals in the dorsal hom. Stimulation of these receptors inhibits release of substance P and interrupts transmission of the pain signal to the second-order sensory neuron. [Pg.88]

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