Pharmacology of Pain Management

Anesthetics

• General Anesthetics:
  • Render patient unconscious and insensitive to pain
  • Examples: propofol, etomidate, ketamine
• Local Anesthetics:
  • Numb specific area of the body
  • Examples: lidocaine, bupivacaine, novocaine

Analgesics

• Opioids:
  • Relieve pain by binding to opioid receptors
  • Examples: morphine, fentanyl, codeine
• Non-Opioids:
  • Relieve pain through non-opioid mechanisms
  • Examples: acetaminophen, NSAIDs (e.g. ibuprofen, aspirin)

Muscle Relaxants

• Depolarizing Muscle Relaxants:
  • Cause muscle contraction followed by paralysis
  • Examples: succinylcholine
• Non-Depolarizing Muscle Relaxants:
  • Competitively block acetylcholine receptors
  • Examples: rocuronium, vecuronium

Antibiotics

• Prophylactic Antibiotics:
  • Administered to prevent surgical site infections
  • Examples: cefazolin, cefuroxime
• Therapeutic Antibiotics:
  • Administered to treat established infections
  • Examples: vancomycin, gentamicin

Anti-Anxiety and Sedatives

• Benzodiazepines:
  • Reduce anxiety and promote relaxation
  • Examples: midazolam, diazepam
• Other Sedatives:
  • Promote relaxation and reduce anxiety
  • Examples: chloral hydrate, zolpidem

Hormones and Anti-Hormones

• Hormones:
  • Used to replace or supplement natural hormone production
  • Examples: insulin, thyroxine
• Anti-Hormones:
  • Used to block or reduce hormone production
  • Examples: leuprolide, octreotide

Anesthetics

• General anesthetics render patients unconscious and insensitive to pain, with examples including propofol, etomidate, and ketamine
• Local anesthetics numb specific areas of the body, with examples including lidocaine, bupivacaine, and novocaine

Analgesics

• Opioids relieve pain by binding to opioid receptors, with examples including morphine, fentanyl, and codeine
• Non-opioids relieve pain through non-opioid mechanisms, with examples including acetaminophen and NSAIDs like ibuprofen and aspirin

Muscle Relaxants

• Depolarizing muscle relaxants cause muscle contraction followed by paralysis, with an example being succinylcholine
• Non-depolarizing muscle relaxants competitively block acetylcholine receptors, with examples including rocuronium and vecuronium

Antibiotics

• Prophylactic antibiotics are administered to prevent surgical site infections, with examples including cefazolin and cefuroxime
• Therapeutic antibiotics are administered to treat established infections, with examples including vancomycin and gentamicin

Anti-Anxiety and Sedatives

• Benzodiazepines reduce anxiety and promote relaxation, with examples including midazolam and diazepam
• Other sedatives promote relaxation and reduce anxiety, with examples including chloral hydrate and zolpidem

Hormones and Anti-Hormones

• Hormones are used to replace or supplement natural hormone production, with examples including insulin and thyroxine
• Anti-hormones are used to block or reduce hormone production, with examples including leuprolide and octreotide