Peri-operative Pain Management Flashcards
Nociception?
Detection, transduction and transmission of a noxious stimulus, associated with tissue damage and/or inflammation
What is acute pain?
Recent onset
Chronic pain?
Persists beyond usual course of an acute illness or injury
>3 months
Outlasts the potential for healing
What is a nociceptor?
Potential harmful
Thermal
Chemical
Mechanical stimuli activate free nerve endings = nociceptors
How is pain felt?
Activation threshold is reached
Depolarization
Propagation of an impulse from the nociceptors to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord
What type of pain do A (delta) and C fibers transmit?
A (delta)fibers- sharp well localized pain
C fibers- dull persistent pain
What is hyperalgesia and how does it occur?
Increased sensitivity to pain
Release of inflam mediators (K, serotonin, sub P, histamine, cytokines, NO, and prostaglandins) lowers firing threshold of receptors in injured area = zone of primary hyeralgesia
What is pain?
Unpleasant sensation and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage
How is pain transmitted?
1st order neurons synapse with 2nd in dorsal horn
Impulses then crosses midline and ascending in ant and lateral spinothalamic tracts to thalamus
Then synapses with 3rd –> axonal projections to sensory cortex, limbic system, cerebellum, peri-aquedal grey matter and reticular formation
What neurotransmitters are released?
Glutamate, subs P, neurokin A+B, GABA, and glycine
Where are the most NB points of pain modulation?
Horsal horn 1 and 2 neurons synapse
How is nociceptive transmission dampened?
Efferent neurons in the BRAINSTEM send impulses to the other layers of the dorsal horn, where release of neurotransmitter substances (endorphins, enkephalins, noradrenaline, serotonin and GABA) dampen nociceptive transmission.
They do so by making post-synaptic membranes more difficult to depolarize or by impairing the release of nociceptive neurotransmitters
What is the multi-modal approach to pain and why is it important?
Based on the knowledge that there are many different receptors and transmitters involved in nociception
Use several different class of drugs to act at different points in the pain pathway will give a more effect analgesia and the SYNERGISTIC action of the different classes will reduce total doses and side effects
What is the stepwise approach to treating pain?
Mild pain: simple analgesia (paracetamol), NSAIDS, and codeine (weak opioids)
Moderate pain: higher doses of codeine or tramadol
Severe pain: stronger opioids (morphine and fentanyl)
What is the mechanism of action of paracetamol?
Acts centrally and peripherally and has an anti-prostaglandin effect via a COX 3 enzyme
Where is paracetamol used?
Has mild analgesic properties
Can be used alone for minor surgery or with other stronger analgesics for major surgey
What properties does paracetamol have?
No anti-inflammatory
Anti-pyretic properties
What are the side effects of paracetamol?
Only overdose causing fulminant hepatic necrosis and failure
How is paracetamol overdose treated?
With N-acetylcysteine
What is the dose of paracetamol and what is is onset and duration time?
1g orally or rectally 6hourly
MAX= 4g in 24 hours
Onset- 30mins
Duration 2-5hours
What is IV paracetamol called and what is its dosage and advantages?
Pefalgan
Improved bio-availability and faster onset of time 5-10 minutes
1g IV 6hourly (4doses)
How do NSAIDS work?
Inhibit COX and inhibits production of PG and thromboxanes from membrane phospholipids
How does aspirin work?
Aspirin binds irreversibly to COX
NSAIDs cause reversible enzyme inhibition with an antipyretic action via inhibition of central PG.
The inhibition of thromboxane production results in reduced plt aggregation and risks of bleeding
How many COD enzymes are there and why are they important?
3 COX enzymes
COX-1 is constitutive and helps maintain normal physiology with NB roles in renal blood flow, haemostatic function and mucosal integrity
COX-2 is inducible and expressed in response to tissue damage
NSAIDs are non- selective (COX 1&2) Or selective (COX 2)
What are NB side effects of NSAIDS?
Gastric irritation, bronchospasm, renal dysfunction, plt dysfunction, hepatotoxicity, and MI
NSAIDs can be given orally, rectally, intravenously and IM
What is the dose of aspirin?
10-15mgkg