Pain & Anesthesia
What is Pain? Emotional and physical unpleasant sensory experience
How is pain categorized? Grouped by the cause of the pain
How is pain diagnosed? Healthcare providers may conduct tests, exams, and clinical assessments
What are the different types of pain?
Chronic: pain that lasts longer than 3 months
Acute: Pain that is often associated with a trauma or surgery
Malignant: Pain associated with cancer
Non-malignant: pain not associated with cancer
Neuropathic: Pain from the destruction or degeneration of nerves
Why has opioid use been declared a national health emergency? Because it has spread among the community and many more people in the U.S.A are getting addicted to it.
The type of pain often associated with a trauma or surgery is known as acute pain.
A pain that occurs from the destruction or degeneration of nerves is known as neuropathic pain.
When did the CDC come out with the first guidelines for treating pain? March 2016
What are opioid medications intended to be used for? They’re intended to relieve pain for cancer, chronic, and acute pain
What is the leading cause of deaths in America for people under the age of 50? Colon Cancer
What is the controlled substances act? When was it enacted? Federal policy to regulate the manufacturing, distribution, importing/exporting, and use of regulated substances.
According to the Controlled Substances Act, what must be on a controlled substance prescription in order for it to be valid? Date of issue, patients name, DOB, drug name, strength, dosage, address, and DEA #
If you are concerned that a prescription may not have been issued for a legitimate medical purpose, what is the most appropriate next step? Call the pharmacy, talk to the patient and prescriber
What information do patients need to know about opioid side effects? That they are addictive, to only take the amount that is prescribed. And they may cause drowsiness, confusion, nausea, constipation, and slowed breathing.
Which disposal method is acceptable for patients to use once they’re done wearing a fentanyl patch? Take the patch off, fold it in paper, then dispose in a trash can.
What are some alternative treatment options for pain? Medications such as feverew, butterbur, and cold/hot compress
What is Fentanyl? Why is it so dangerous? Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid. It was passed by the FDA as an analgesic. It is 100 times more powerful than poten and 50 times more potent than heroine. Even the smallest dose can kill someone. Sometimes, drug can be laced with fentanyl which can cause those who take drugs to die.
Define: Opioid Use Disorder
Opioid use disorder is defined as people who repeatedly use opioids not for pain, but because of its “happy” feeling.
What are the differences between tolerance, dependence, & addiction?
Tolerance: The need to take a higher dose of something to maintain the same effect as before
Dependence: Occurs as the physiological adaptions to chronic exposure to the drug
Addiction: Involves other changes to the brain circuitry and is distinguished by compulsive drug seeking, and use, despite negative consequences (addiction is a medical condition)
Addiction is more of the psychological side and dependence is physiological which pertains more to the body.
Addiction is a medical condition, much like diabetes or any other medical condition.
What percentage of people who are addicted to opioids actually get treatment? About one in four people get help.
What physiologic effect does general anesthesia typically have on the respiratory system? General anesthesia is a respiratory depressant, which means that it causes the person who is getting general anesthesia to stop breathing.
Which of the following is not an indicator used to assess the degree of general anesthesia for a patient? PAIN
Malignant hyperthermia is a rare but serious side effect of anesthesia. It is best characterized by which symptoms?: HIGH BODY TEMP, rigid muscle spasms, and a rapid heart rate
What is an advantage of using inhaled gasses for anesthesia? Allows a more rapid induction of anesthesia
Which controlled substance schedule does midazolam belong to? Schedule IV
Ketamine produces a type of anesthesia known as: Dissociative anesthesia
Which drug reverses the effects of narcotics? Naxalone AKA Narcan
Neuropathic pain is usually treated with which drug classes? Trycyclic antidepressents
Opiates are derived from which plant or plant derivative? Poppyseed
Which is the drug of choice for the prophylaxis of migraines? Propranolol
What term describes the physical and emotional reliance of patients on narcotics? Dependence
What class of drugs is primarily used to treat migraine headaches? Triptants, and Ergotamines
Migraine therapy that attempts to treat at the first sign of a headache occurring is called Abortive therapy.