Anti-inflammatory drugs
These are drugs that inhibit the synthesis and release of
inflammatory chemicals. It is the release of these chemicals that triggers
redness, swelling, heat, pain and loss of function which are regarded as the
five cardinal signs of inflammation.
Anti-inflammatory drugs are of two types; steroidal and non-steroidal
(NSAID). Their ability to relieve pain and fever (especially NSAIDs) has also
made them to be referred as analgesics and antipyretics (drugs that reduces
fever) respectively. Anti-inflammatory drugs act by inhibiting prostaglandin
(natural product of inflamed white blood cells) synthesis and release and
because prostaglandin protects the stomach and support the platelets and blood
clothing, these drugs can promote bleeding and cause peptic ulcer.
Steroids in form of eye drops are used in the treatment of
severe long-term eye allergic symptoms (recommended only in most severe
allergic eye conditions especially when other drugs fail to arrest the
situation). Ketorolac or acular is a NSAID that is highly approved for
treatment of itchy eyes.
Note: Anti-inflammatory drugs have three major effects;
anti-inflammatory effect, analgesic effect and antipyretic effect.
Analgesics
These are drugs that relieve pain. They are classified into
non-opioid analgesics and opioid (narcotics) analgesics. Opioids relieve pain
by decreasing the brain awareness of the pain (i.e. acting on special pain
receptors in the central nervous system). Non-opioids on the other hand relieve
pain by altering the chemical changes that normally take place wherever body
tissue are injured or damaged (i.e. they act directly on injured body tissues).
All non-opioid analgesics are anti-inflammatory drugs except
acetaminophen (paracetamol or phenacetin). Hence non-opioids can act as
anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics and antipyretics while opioids have only
analgesics effect.
Note: Technically anti-inflammatory drugs are not part of
analgesics family but are considered as analgesics in practice.
Opioid analgesics are used in the treatment of either
short-term or long-term relief of severe pain such as general post-operative
pain or other specific conditions. On the other hand non-opioids are used for
short-term pain relief and for modest pain such as headache, muscle strain,
bruising, sinus pressure, arthritis or pain from injury, fracture or tear.
Examples of non-opioid drugs include; acetaminophen,
aspirin, indomethacine, ibuprofen, fenoprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, e.t.c.
Examples of opioid drugs include; tramadol, codein, morphine, pethidine,
pentazocine, meperidine, methadone, e.t.c.
Anesthetics
These are drugs that causes numbing or cessation of
sensation (feelings). It can be either local (loss of sensation o targeted part
of the body while maintaining consciousness) or general anesthesia (loss of
sensation in all parts of the body and loss of consciousness as well).
Local anesthetics prevent the transmission of nerve impulses
without causing unconsciousness. They have the suffix “-caine” in their names. Examples
include; cocaine, procaine, lidocaine, proparacaine, tetracaine, prilocaine,
dibucaine, mepivacaine, ropivacaine, levobupivacaine, bupivacaine, amethocaine,
e.t.c.
Topical anesthetics are used in optometry and ophthalmology
to numb the surface of the eye (the outermost layers of the cornea and
conjunctiva) in order to;
- Perform a contact/applanation tonometry
- Remove superficial foreign bodies
- Perform ocular surgeries
- Perform a schimer’s test
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Confusing somehow especially anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics since both have similar functions
ReplyDeleteNice clarification my Dr
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