Analgesics in MOS 2 Flashcards
What is the most common cause of acute liver injury in Europe and North America?
Paracitamol poisoning
What are the main properties of paracetamol?
- antipyretic
- analgesic
What type of pain should paracetamol be used for following oral surgery ?
mild to moderate
What is the maximum therapeutic dose of paracetamol ?
4g/24h
What are PROMs ?
patient reported outcome measures
What does the oral surgery guidance for commissioners of service recommend following oral surgery?
it recommends that all patients be contacted by telephone 24 hours after their surgery to enquire about unmanaged pain, haemorrhage and nerve injury
What is the most commonly used opioid analgesic?
Paracetamol
The US approved name for paracetamol is …
acetaminophen
Paracetamol causes euphoria and alters the mood. True or false
False
Paracetamol is the _______ name
International non-properietary name
British Approved Name
Acetaminophen was sold under the name ____ in the USA (1955)
Tylenol
In 1956, 500 mg tablets of paracetamol went on sale in the UK under the brand name ______.
panadol
The childrens formulation of paracetamol was released in 1958 and called…
Panadol Elixer
What is the MOA of paracetamol?
- inhibition of COX-3 isoenzyme
- inhibition of COX-1 variant and subsequent reduced release of prostanoid release in the CNS
(is effective in COX-1 variant present in CNS; reduces prostaglandins that have a role in causing fevers)
What is the primary mechanism by which paracetamol is able to reduce fever
central inhibition
When are weak plasma concentrations of paracetamol present following ingestion ?
30-60 minutes
Briefly describe how paracetamol is inactivated
it is inactivated by conjugation to glucoronide and sulphate (to a lesser extent)
How is paracetamol excreted?
via the kidneys
What is the NNT for 1g of paracetamol in oral surgery ? What does this mean
1.87
This means that for every 2 (1.87 rounded up) patients who receive 1g of paracetamol, one will get greater than 50% pain relief and would not have done so if they received the placebo
Why has paracetamol been described as a weak analgesic?
this because it has affected by the ceiling effect meaning that increasing the dose will not confer any further analgesic benefit
What is the benefit of using paracetamol with other analgesics ?
- superior pain relief
- permits reduction in opioid drug doses
What are the indications for paracetamol use ?
- headache
- fever
- period pain
- toothache, other dental pain
- back pain
- muscular and joint pain
- neuralgia
- pain associated with colds/flus
Why is paracetamol the analgesic of choice for children?
this is because it is not associated with Reyes syndrome
Why is paracetamol sometimes preferred for use in the elderly?
because it lacks the gastric erosive properties
How can you guard patients from accidental overdoses?
- advise them to follow dosing regime on the label
- avoid prolonged and excessived doses
Patients and their escorts must always be informed if paracetamol has been used intra/post operatively. True or false
True
this will prevent further overdose as patient is made aware that they have received it during their treatment
-allows pt to monitor futher dose
Why should patients be warned about combination analgesics ?
this is because they may also contain paracetamol
Allows patient to monitor dose and prevent overdose
Recent evidence has shown that high dose levels of paracetamol may be associated with …
the same GI and cardiovascular adverse events as non-selective NSAIDs
What dose of paracetamol is recognised as toxic?
- 150mg/kg
- 12 g
or less if they are a high risk patient then the dose required for hepatotoxicity may be less
State some patients that may be at increased risk of hepatotoxicity from paracetamol
- adolescents with eating disorder
- adolescents with gluthathione depletion
- patients taking enzyme inducing drugs such as phenytoin or rifampicin (this has not been definitely shown)
What is reported to reduce the ceiling of toxicity of paracetamol?
(causing a lower dose to be hepatotoxic)
chronic alcohol ingestion