Analgesics Flashcards
What is the strongest OTC analgesic?
Naproxen (Aleve),
1380mg equivalent dose of naproxen=10mg of morphine
What are the maximum dosing for ibuprofen and naproxen?
1200mg/day of ibuprofen
440mg/day of naproxen
Is there a difference between frequently taking smaller doses vs. Infrequently taking larger doses?
It doesn’t matter as long as the patient is not using more than the legal requirements
What is the difference between opioid and non-opioid analgesics
Increases in morphine dose always results in greater pain relief. Increases in pain relief for non-opioid analgesics like ibuprofen and acetaminophen eventually plateau
Can ibuprofen have anti-inflammatory relief within legal OTC dosing?
No, anti-inflammatory effect only begins past the max OTC dose. An MD can prescribe higher doses of analgesics that can actually reduce inflammation
What is the most convenient OTC analgesic?
Naproxen (Aleve)
Are Advil liquid gels more effective compared to tablets?
They are no more effective, decrease in absorption time is irrelvant.
Tablets are cheaper, and make more sense
What are some side effects associated with ibuprofen?
Hives, facial swelling, asthma (these can occur independently),
Stomach bleeding is always mentioned as a severe, but rare side effect
Does acetaminophen have a better side effect profile at OTC levels?
Not really, especially at OTC doses
At Rx doses, acetaminophen has fewer GI side effects
Are nausea eipigastric pain, and heart burn following analgesic use associated with the development of gastric ulcers?
No, they do not directly cause GI bleeds.
For patients that were on 2x daily dose, only 1-2% of patients developed GI bleeds
Is hepatotoxicity a side effect of Tylenol (acetaminophen)?
Hepatotoxicity is not a side effect, it is a sign of overdose
How can some of the GI side effects of Tylenol (acetaminophen) can be attenuated?
Taking pill with food will help reduce GI irritation, but it will delay and reduce some of the analgesic effects
What are the attitudes of pharmacists with balancing risks and benefits of drug therapy?
Pharmacists are risk-averse, and they will try to minimize side effects even if riskier options to resolve conditions exist
If we want to be risk-averse and not recommend drugs, we need to give patients alternatives
What is the #1 reason for liver transplants?
Acetaminophen related hepatotoxicity
16,000 deaths in the USA in 2014
Is acetaminophen overdosing worse compared to ibuprofen overdosing?
Ibuprofen is a lot more safer, acetaminophen toxicity can cause severe liver issues
Do people who experience chronic pain also suffer from insomnia?
Yes, 60-80% of pain patients have trouble sleeping
Why is pain worse at night?
Natural cortisol(endogenous anti-inflammatory) levels decrease at night resulting in less natural pain relief
People also remain still for the entire night, and this could cause joints to stiffen up
What is the most common type of pain treated with OTC analgesics?
Muscle/Back/Joint pain accounts for 42%
Headaches/Migraine accounts for 24%
Cold/Flu accounts for 11%
Other pain accounts for 23%
How many people experience severe pain?
11% of people have severe pain, and out of these people 12% have untreated cases
What is the advice from MDs regarding analgesics?
MDs want us to use less analgesics and focus more on treating the condition directly instead
What are the two common types of non-trauma head related pains?
Headaches and Migraines
Are Tylenol arthritis the best product for arthritis?
Studies show acetaminophen is just as good as placebo.
Be less likely to recommend chronic use of acetaminophen
What is the average age of arthritis diagnosis?
50 years, but symptoms start to develop at 47.5 years
What is the drug of choice for dysmenorrhea (painful periods)?
NSAIDs
Do current acetaminophen and ibuprofen combination products make sense?
No, doses for ibuprofen and acetaminophen are simply too low in Advil Plus (acet+ibu)
People simply take the two products separately and use max dose for both
What is the benefit of acetaminophen+caffeine combo products?
They show significantly improved efficacy in the treatment of patients with tension type headaches or migraines
What are medication overuse headaches?
Headaches can become more common following frequent use of analgesics. It is kind of like rebound congestion in topical decongestants