lecture one--pain Flashcards
acute pain v chronic pain
acute: resolves in three months or less
chronic: does NOT resolve in three months
balanced analgesia
a multi-modal approach to pain management that encompasses pharm and non-pharm measures
adjuvant analgesics
not typically prescribed for pain meds, but can be used for a synergistic effect with other pain meds (eg. alpha adrenergic antagonists, antidepressants, anti-seizure drugs, GABA agonists, etc)
analgesic ceiling
when the pain med has reached the peak of it’s effectiveness
tolerance
when you have to go up in dosage (5 mg to 10mg) to get the same amount of effect/relief
physical dependence
PHYSICAL withdrawal when amount of pain med is decreased
addiction
a complex neuro-biological condition characterized by a desire to take the drug for not the therapeutic use
nursing diagnoses related to pain
activity intolerance, anxiety, constipation, fatigue, fear, social isolation
How many opioids at a time?
ONLY ONE
OPIOD side effects
constipation
respiratory depression (BIG)
Add more
what kind of measures do we use first
we use LEAST invasive measures first
PATHOLOGY of pain
transduction—>transmission—>modulation—>perception
if a patient acknowledges substance use, do we expose the patient to the misused drug?
NO
pain recap
pain is a complex and subjective phenomenon, experienced and coped with by everyone differently. Pain can be acute or chronic, but it affects all systems, A balanced analgesic approach to pain management is preferred. Pain medications range from Advil, Tylenol and NSAIDs for milk to moderate pain, to strong opioids like morphine and fentanyl for severe pain. Adjuvants are also used. Complications to watch for with opioids are constipation and respiratory depression, with NSAIDS you watch for GI bleeds and other GI complications. Be aware of the analgesic ceiling, tolerance, dependance, and the fact that addiction is a DISEASE. Because pain is the 5th vital sign, it should always be monitored closely.
