Drugs Used to Relieve Pain and Inflammation Flashcards
Addison’s disease
A disease or syndrome characterized by inadequate amounts of corticosteroid hormones.
Analgesia
The absence of the sensation of pain.
Ceiling effect
The highest level of a specific drug has been reaches; increasing the dose does not provide any additional pain relief but may increase the side effects.
Cushing’s disease
Hyperadrenocorticism; a disease or syndrome characterized by an overabundance of corticosteroid hormones.
Histamine
A chemical mediator of the inflammatory response released from mast cells. Histamine may cause dilation and increased permeability of small blood vessels, constriction of small airways, increased secretion of mucus in the airways, and pain.
Iatrogenic
Caused by the physician (veterinarian).
Modulation
The modification of nociceptive transmission.
Multimodal analgesia
The use of different drugs with different actions to produce optimal analgesia and minimize individual drug quantities when possible.
Nerve block
A loss of feeling or sensation produced by injecting an anesthetic agent around a nerve to interfere with its ability to conduct impulses.
Neuropathic pain
Pain that originates from injury or involvement of the peripheral or central nervous system.
Nociceptors
A receptor for pain caused by injury to body tissue. Pain sensation arises in the terminal ends of sensory nerve fibers.
Pathologic pain
Pain with an exaggerated response; it is often associated with tissue injury due to trauma or surgery.
Perception
The processing and recognition of pain in the cerebral hemisphere.
Physiologic pain
The protective sensation of pain that allows individuals to move away from potential tissue damage.
Preemptive analgesia
Analgesia administered before the painful stimulus to help prevent sensitization and windup.
Prostaglandin
A substance synthesized by cells from arachidonic acid that serves as a mediator of inflammation and has other physiologic functions.
Regional anesthesia
Loss of feeling or sensation in a large area (region) of the body after injection of an anesthetic agent into the spinal canal or around peripheral nerves.
Somatic pain
Pain arising from bones, joints, muscle, or skin. Somatic pain is described in humans as localized, sharp, constant, aching, or throbbing.
Transdermal application
The use of a patch applied to the skin to deliver a drug through an intact cutaneous surface to the systemic circulation.
Transduction
The process that involves translation of noxious stimuli into electric activity at sensory nerve endings.
Transmission
Conduction of pain impulses from peripheral pain receptors to the spinal cord.
Visceral pain
Pain arising from stretching, distension, or inflammation of viscera, described in humans as deep, cramping, or aching and difficult to localize.
