Module 6: Pain Management Practice Flashcards

Comprehensive practice flashcards covering pain management classifications, prototype medications, mechanisms of action, and nursing considerations based on Module 6 lecture notes.

Analgesia

The relief or reduction of pain without loss of consciousness.

Adjunct Agents

Medications not primarily designed for pain relief that can improve pain control, such as antidepressants for neuropathic pain or anticonvulsants for nerve pain.

Opioid Analgesics

Medications used for moderate to severe pain that bind to opioid receptors in the CNS to block pain perception.

Opioid Antagonists

Drugs that block opioid receptors to reverse opioid effects, especially in cases of overdose.

Local Anesthetics

Agents such as Lidocaine that block nerve conduction and all local sensations in a specific portion of the body.

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

A diverse group of drugs that inhibit cyclooxygenase ($COX$) enzymes to reduce prostaglandins, treating pain, fever, and inflammation.

Morphine

A prototype opioid analgesic that activates opioid receptors to suppress pain transmission; major adverse effects include respiratory depression and constipation.

Naloxone

A prototype opioid antagonist used for emergency opioid overdose reversal; may require repeat dosing and monitoring for acute withdrawal.

Ibuprofen

A prototype NSAID associated with adverse effects such as GI bleeding, ulcers, and kidney injury.

B-endorphins

Endogenous opioid neuropeptides that bind to opioid receptors to reduce the sensation of pain and produce analgesia through the release of dopamine.

Nociceptive Pain

Pain resulting from injury to tissues, categorized into somatic pain (muscles, bones, soft tissues) and visceral pain (internal organs).

Neuropathic Pain

Pain that results from injury to peripheral nerves.

Mu ($\mu$) Receptors

The primary opioid receptors responsible for analgesia, respiratory depression, euphoria, sedation, physical dependence, and decreased GI motility.

Kappa ($\kappa$) Receptors

Opioid receptors that contribute to analgesia, sedation, and decreased GI motility, but show weak effects from opioids compared to Mu receptors.

Fentanyl

A highly potent opioid available in parenteral, transdermal (patch for $72\,hours$), and transmucosal formulations.

Tolerance

A state in which the body becomes used to the effects of a substance over time.

Physical Dependence

A state where an abstinence syndrome occurs if a drug is abruptly withdrawn; it is distinct from addiction.

Addiction

A behavior pattern characterized by continued use of a psychoactive substance despite physical, psychological, or social harm.

Methadone

A full opioid agonist used for maintenance and suppressive therapy in treating opioid substance use disorder.

Acetaminophen

A non-opioid analgesic and antipyretic that blocks prostaglandin synthesis in the CNS but lacks anti-inflammatory actions.

Hepatotoxicity

Liver damage or failure, which is the primary concern in an Acetaminophen overdose.

COX-1

The "good COX" enzyme responsible for gastric protection, platelet function, and renal function.

COX-2

The "bad COX" enzyme responsible for producing inflammatory mediators, fever, and pain perception.

Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)

Commonly known as Aspirin, this nonselective inhibitor of cyclooxygenase is used for analgesia, fever, inflammation, and suppression of platelet aggregation.

Tinnitus

Ringing in the ears, which serves as a clinical sign of Aspirin (salicylate) toxicity.

Reye's Syndrome

A potentially fatal condition associated with the use of Aspirin in children with viral infections.

Celecoxib

A second-generation selective $COX\text{-}2$ inhibitor used for arthritis and acute pain that carries an increased risk of myocardial infarction and stroke.

Weight-based Dose Conversion

The process of dividing weight in pounds by $2.2$ to obtain weight in kilograms ($kg$) for metric medication calculations.