Contents
In line with its mission, the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony makes every effort to provide reliable medical content supported by the latest scientific knowledge. The additional flag “Checked Content” indicates that the article has been reviewed by or written directly by a physician. This two-step verification: a medical journalist and a doctor allows us to provide the highest quality content in line with current medical knowledge.
Our commitment in this area has been appreciated, among others, by by the Association of Journalists for Health, which awarded the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony with the honorary title of the Great Educator.
NSAIDs, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are a group of drugs that most can be purchased over the counter. Their task is to have an anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic effect. They can be used in the course of colds as well as in the treatment of pain relief after an injury. But, even though these are very common medications, not everyone can use them. What is worth knowing about them?
NSAID groups
The most famous drug of the type of NSAID is ibuprofen. But non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs they have a lot group mainly related to the active substance contained in them. It doesn’t have to be just ibuprofenum. Division non-steroidal drugs anti-inflammatory due to the active substance, it looks like this:
- salicylic acid derivatives,
- phenylacetic acid derivatives,
- aliphatic and hetocyclic derivatives,
- propionic acid derivatives,
- anthranilic acid derivatives,
- pyrazole derivatives,
- benzothiazine derivatives,
- naphthylketone derivatives,
- coxs.
Action of NSAIDs
Action of NSAIDs It mainly consists in inhibiting the activity of the cyclooxygenase enzyme, which is involved in the synthesis of prostaglandins, i.e. messengers that stimulate pain receptors. Action of NSAIDs it simply inhibits the activity of cyclooxygenesis, so that we do not feel pain, and the swelling and fever are reduced. But it is very important to know that the COX-1 enzyme that is inhibited by taking medications NSAIDs, is also involved in the protection of the digestive system, so if you take such drugs for a long time, you can damage the gastrointestinal mucosa.
Other the action of NSAIDs it inhibits the synthesis of rheumatoid factor or the activity of enzymes that degrade connective tissue, and inhibits the synthesis of free radicals and prevents the clumping of platelets.
Not everyone non-steroidal drug antiphlogistic works the same. For example, diclofenac has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, but it weakly suppresses fever. In turn, aspirin is antipyretic, but moderately anti-inflammatory and analgesic.
Indications for the use of NSAIDs
Indications for the use of NSAIDs may be different. However, the main ones indications these are pains of various origins, of mild or moderate intensity. For example headaches, toothaches, muscle aches, so-called back pain, bone and joint pain, and even period pains. These drugs can also be successfully used for fever in the course of flu and colds, or therapeutically in the course of rheumatoid diseases, and even osteoporosis. Ad hoc NSAID drugs can be used in heart attack, unstable angina or in the prevention of strokes and blood clots.
Contraindications to the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Main contraindications for use NSAIDs are: age under 3 months of age, diseases of the digestive system or chronic enteritis, blood coagulation disorders, hypertension, severe liver, heart or kidney failure, hemorrhagic diathesis, lupus erythematosus and taking other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Depending on the type of specific a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug contraindications there could be more. This may be an allergy to a component of the drug, such as acetylsalicylic acid in the case of aspirin. And also taking other medications.
When receiving non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs the most common side effects are disturbances in the functioning of the digestive system.