Nurs 251 -Module 8 Study Guide Pharmacology -Portage Learning

Module 8 8.1: PainPain is a basic protective mechanism of the body . The sensation of pain may serve as a warning of imminent danger (fire)or that there is something wrong in the body (cancer). Alternatively, pain can accompany the normal healing process (inflammation) . When the intensity and duration of a persons pain begin to affect their ability to function, analgesics canbecome very helpful . Analgesics are defined as medications that relieve pain without causing a loss of consciousness. As there are different types of pain, the appropriate pharmacologic therapy may differ from one type of pain to another.Acute pain is sudden in onset and usually subsides when treated. Acute pain often lasts 6 weeks or less in duration .Chronic pain is persistent or recurring and often much more difficult to treat . It is classified as any pain lasting 3-6 months or pain lasting longer than 1 month after healing of an acute injury . Tolerance refers to a state in which the effectiveness of a drug is significantly reduced following its prolonged use . As the body adapts, more of the drug becomes required to achieve the same initial physiological effect. Should the drug be stopped abruptly