Week 10: Drugs for Pain
Learning Outcomes
Be able to:
- describe the mediators, receptors and channels involved in nociception, and the neural pathways for ascending transmission and descending inhibition of pain (linked to NEURO)
- identify the sites of action of analgesic drugs in these processes and pathways
- describe the cellular mechanisms responsible for the therapeutic effects of NSAIDs
- describe the main adverse effects of NSAIDs and relate these to their target enzymes
- describe the proposed mechanisms of action of paracetamol
- describe the cellular mechanisms of action of opioids in analgesia
- outline the mechanisms responsible for the major adverse effects of opioids
- describe the mechanisms of action of tricyclic antidepressants and anticonvulsants in the treatment of neuropathic pain
- outline the clinical use of analgesic classes in the treatment of nociceptive vs neuropathic pain
- state the mechanism of action of local anaesthetics including the concept of use-dependence
- explain the effect of pH on the action of local anaesthetics.