Pain medications

Question 1

nociceptors

Answer 1

pain receptors

Question 2

Signs of pain

Answer 2

Abnormal body position, movements, or limping
Increased heart rate
Increased breathing rate
Decreased appetite
Salivation
Vocalization
Tenderness
Restlessness

Question 3

cells in damaged tissue release ____ _____ ____ and then

Answer 3

prostaglandins, histamine, and leukotrienes

they stimulate new blood vessels to grow and existing blood vessel walls to become leaky.

Bonus - The increased blood flow to the area brings in white blood cells to clear the area of foreign invaders and fibrin to plug the area

Question 4

Drugs that reduce the inflammatory process include

Answer 4

NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), glucocorticoids,
DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide, topical)
etc

Question 5

pyrogen

Answer 5

A substance that raises body temperature.
pyrogens affect the hypothalamus and reset its thermostat to a higher setting.
NSAIDS primary meds to bring fever down

Question 6

Pain is carried to the brain

Answer 6

through two different pathways
Type-C fibers are responsible for dull, nonlocalized pain,
Delta fibers are responsible for sharp, localized pain.

Question 7

Controlling pain and inflammation is achieved through medications such as the following: (6)

Answer 7

NSAIDs
Opioids
Antihistamines
Muscle relaxers
Steroids
Nerve blocks

For the most effective pain control of severe pain, drugs from different categories are used together

Caution: steroids and NSAIDs should not be used together because of the increased risk of gastrointestinal side effects, ulceration, and bleeding.

Question 8

NSAIDs.

Answer 8

*These drugs work by inhibiting the enzyme cyclooxygenase (cox).

NSAIDs offer analgesia and will lower temperatures. Not all NSAIDs block pain to the same degree. Some NSAIDs work very well and some work only for mild pain.

Question 9

Inflammation analogy

Answer 9

inflammatory process like a waterfall.
The more water (top to the bottom) means more inflammation. If the waterfall is blocked near the top, inflammation is better controlled.

Question 10

steroids (pain)

Answer 10

Are better anti-inflammatories than NSAIDs,
they appear earlier in the inflammatory cascade.
However, steroids, for some reason, don’t block pain or lower fevers.

Question 11

NSAIDs side-effects

Answer 11

gastrointestinal bleeding and ulceration.
NSAIDs can also adversely affect the kidneys and cause clotting problems because they inhibit platelet aggregation
Any animal that stops eating, is vomiting, or has abdominal pain may have an ulcer and shouldn’t be given aspirin.

Question 12

Aspirin

Answer 12

Is an NSAID that’s a/an

Analgesic (relieves pain)
Antipyrexic (relieves fever)
Anti-inflammatory (relieves redness, heat, swelling, pain)
Reducer of platelet aggregation
Liver

Everything below is BONUS
Buffered aspirin (that neutralizes both acids and alkalines) is preferred for dogs. It should be given with food to help protect the dog’s stomach from ulceration

Aspirin isn’t recommended for cats, because they don’t have the enzymes to metabolize this drug.

Question 13

antipyrexic

Answer 13

Fever reducer

Question 14

Acetaminophen

Answer 14

Limited use in veterinary medicine and should never be given to cats.

Question 15

Propionic acid derivatives

Answer 15

Thought to work by inhibiting cyclooxygenase.
Carprofen is used in dogs to relieve arthritis or postoperative pain.
The drug has a long half-life of eight hours.
Processed in liver

Question 16

α-2 adrenergic Agents

Answer 16

these drugs offer enough anesthesia for minor surgical procedures.
can alleviate stress for the animal and allow the procedures to be done more efficiently.

Bonus -
α-2 adrenergic agents include xylazine , dexmedetomidine.

Question 17

principles that should be followed concerning corticosteroid therapy.

Answer 17

• Alternate-day dosing may help prevent iatrogenic hypoadrenocorticism.
• Administration should never be stopped abruptly but should be tapered off gradually.
• Very large doses may be used in emergency situations.

Question 18

What function do mineralocorticoids serve in the body?

Answer 18

regulate electrolyte and water balance in the body

Question 19

Iatrogenic

Answer 19

Caused by the vet

Question 20

Side effects α-2 adrenergic Agents

Answer 20

Side effects of slow heart rate and low blood pressure are common, therefore they should not be used in animals with cardiovascular disease.

Question 21

side effects of of short-term and long-term corticosteroid

Answer 21

Short-term effects of corticosteroid use include polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, and delayed healing.

Long-term effects include thinning of the skin, gastric ulcers, osteoporosis, and iatrogenic Cushing’s disease.

Question 22

local anesthetic agents

Answer 22

Local anesthetics work by preventing the generation and conduction of nerve impulses in peripheral nerves
Used for
* Infiltration of local areas
* Epidural anesthesia
* Topical application in the eye, ear, and larynx, among others
* Nerve block
* Antiarrhythmic effects

Question 23

4 steps of pain production

Answer 23

Transduction, transmission, modulation, and perception

Question 24

Histamine

Answer 24

A major chemical mediator involved in allergic responses,
Two types of receptors for histamine exist, H1 and H2.

Question 25

H1 receptors

Answer 25

Histamine receptor associated with the allergic response, nausea, or motion sickness.

Question 26

H2 receptors

Answer 26

Histamine receptor associated with acid production in the stomach.

Question 27

Glucocorticoids

Answer 27

exert anti-inflammatory effects, immunosuppressive (at higher doses) effects, and also influence the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Question 28

Forms of cyclooxygenase and NSAIDS

Answer 28

Cox-1 and cox-2.
*Those NSAIDs that selectively block cox-2 are preferred because they’re associated with fewer gastrointestinal side effects.