NSAIDS Flashcards
What are common causes of headaches?
- Neck & jaw tension
- Nasal Pressure
- Lack of sleep
- Caffeine withdrawal
- Eye strain
What are NSAIDs?
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
What are NSAIDs Pharmacological Effects? & what common mechanism do they all seem to be mediated by?
- Analgesic (anti-pain)
- Antipyretic (anti-fever)
- Anti-inflammatory (EXCEPT Acetaminophen)
all by INHIBITION of prostaglandins
What is NSAIDs action?
block COX 1,2, 3 which then inhibits Prostoglandin which mediates pain, inflammation & fever etc.
What are the Cyclo-Oxygenases?
COX-1, COX-2, COX-3
What does Cyclo-oxygenase-1 (COX-1) do?
- Non-inducible-Found in many cell types constitutively (i.e. running ALL of the time in a lot of cell types, esp. in stomach)
- This isoform has critical functions, such as maintaining stomach lining
What does Cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) do?
*want to inhibit this one
- The form induced in immune cells (upon infection, damage, etc.)
- This isoform is responsible for Pain, Inflammation, & fever
What does Cyclo-oxygenase-3 (COX-3) do?
Highest content in brain & heart
What is inflammation?
Caused by infectious agents, ischemia, antigen/antibody reaction, thermal and other damage
What are the 3 phases of Inflammation?
- Acute Transient Phase (local vasodilation, increased capillary permeability)
- Delayed Subactute Phase (infiltration of leukocytes & phagocytes - attacking)
- Chronic Proliferative Phase (tissue degeneration & fibrosis)
NSAIDs only really useful for Phase 1 & a bit of 2
Where are Prostaglandins released?
- Prostaglandins are released following cell damage, and found in inflammatory exudants
- Injection of PGs cause local inflammation, increased blood flow, and severe pain
- PGs cause uterine cramping - Injection used as an abortifacient. Inhibitors of PG are useful for dysmenorhea, & to delay delivery
*(-) S.E. for pregnant women taking NSAIDs b/c don’t want to artificially inhibit uterine contraction if close to term
Where do NSAIDs work & where does Tylenol work?
NSAIDs - work LOCALLY at site of inflammation & pain (can be in creams)
Tylenol - works ONLY in brain & SC (cannot be in creams b/c won’t do anything)
Describe fever & how it is reduced
- Set point is regulated by hypothalamus balance between heat loss and heat production
- Fever caused by: infection, tissue damage, inflammation, graft rejection, malignancy, etc
- Release of PGs near hypothalamus under these conditions induces fever
- NSAIDs reduce fever, but do not reduce increased body temp due to exercise or ambient heat
– reduced fever produced by prostaglandin release
– won’t help reduce body temp if over heated from sun or workout (makes it worse)
Describe pain & how it’s regulated
- PGs seem to induce pain by stimulating local pain fibers
- In addition, inflammation induces hyperalgesia (increased pain sensitivity - b/c stretch & release of substances at the inflammatory site)
- NSAIDs, listed as minor analgesics, can be superior to opiods (morphine, etc) for inflammation-induced pain, & some post-op pain (great for inflammatory pain - joint pain - good for cramping)
What are the other effects of PGs?
*- PGs are critical to platelet aggregation-formation of clots (accounts for the coronary benefits of ASA)
- PGs are imp. in modulating stomach acidity & mucous lining (accounts for the GI side effects of NSAIDs)
- PGs are imp. for uterine contraction-may account for some cases of dysmenorhea