CH 8 Infection Flashcards
What is the most common reason patients seek medical advice?
Pain management.
How does Margo McCaffery define pain?
“Pain is whatever the experiencing person says it is, existing whenever the experiencing person says it does.”
How does the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) define pain?
“An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage.”
What is the purpose of pain?
It acts as a protective mechanism or warning signal to prevent further injury.
What is suffering in relation to pain?
Continuous distress that often accompanies pain and affects emotional, social, and spiritual well-being.
What are some complications of untreated pain?
Tissue breakdown, increased metabolic rate, impaired immune function, and emotional distress.
Why might a post-surgical patient avoid deep breathing or coughing?
Due to pain, which can lead to retained pulmonary secretions and pneumonia.
How can culture influence pain expression?
Some cultures are stoic and quiet about pain, while others may be more expressive.
Why is the patient considered central to the healthcare team in pain management?
Because they maintain autonomy and should be informed about their pain management options.
What are some common myths about pain?
“Laughing and talking means no pain,” “Respiratory depression is common with opioids,” and “Pain medication is more effective via injection.”
What is the difference between addiction, tolerance, and physical dependence?
Addiction is compulsive drug-seeking behavior, tolerance is a reduced response to a drug over time, and physical dependence is the body’s adaptation leading to withdrawal symptoms.
What is pseudoaddiction?
Drug-seeking behavior due to inadequate pain control, which resolves when pain is properly treated.
What are the four processes of pain transmission?
Transduction, transmission, perception, and modulation.
What are nociceptive and neuropathic pain?
Nociceptive pain results from tissue damage, while neuropathic pain results from nerve injury.
How is nociceptive pain categorized?
Into somatic pain (localized, musculoskeletal) and visceral pain (internal organ pain, often cramping or pressure-like).
What is referred pain?
Pain felt in a location different from the actual source (e.g., back pain from kidney stones).
How does neuropathic pain differ from nociceptive pain?
It is often described as numbness, tingling, sharp, or shooting pain and is caused by nerve damage.
What is acute pain?
Pain that follows injury and subsides as healing occurs.
What is chronic pain?
Pain lasting more than 3 months, often persisting beyond the expected healing period.
What are the three main classes of analgesics?
Opioids, nonopioids, and adjuvants.
What are some examples of nonopioid analgesics?
NSAIDs (ibuprofen, aspirin), COX-2 inhibitors (celecoxib), and acetaminophen.
What is the ceiling effect in nonopioids?
A dose beyond which no additional pain relief occurs but side effects may increase.
What is the mechanism of NSAIDs?
They block the synthesis of prostaglandins, reducing pain and inflammation.
Why is acetaminophen not an NSAID?
It has no anti-inflammatory or antiplatelet effects.