Many people take both over-the-counter and prescription pain medicines for a variety of acute and chronic pain episodes. Sometimes, healthcare providers over prescribe, do not prescribe appropriately for some medications, or fail to discuss potential interactions with common home medications.
Select a common pain medication (either narcotic or non-narcotic). Research and list the rationale for use, side effects, and adverse reactions for the medication you have selected. Identify a potential harmful case scenario for the prescription of the medication you have selected. Try not to duplicate your classmates’ medication choices or scenarios.
Besides posting your own response, you MUST read and comment on AT LEAST two of your fellow classmate’s posts. In your responses, identify a better drug given the scenario they have described to better treat the pain or reduce the risk of harm to the patient. Identify the rationale for use, possible side effects, and why it would be better for the patient.
Be sure to properly cite your sources, using MLA or APA, in both your original post and your response.
Student 1 Britney Moore
Medication: Naproxen (Aleve)
Use: Primarily used to reduce inflammation and fever. It is considered a Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It works by reducing hormones that cause inflammation and pain. It can be used to treat arthritis, tendinitis, bursitis, gout, or menstrual cramps. It can come in the form of delayed release or extended release, however, those are used for chronic conditions.
Side Effects: Common side effects include indigestion, stomach pain, headache, drowsiness, itching, or dizziness. Severe side effects include wheezing, trouble breathing, hives or swelling of the face which could be a result of an allergic reaction. A severe skin reaction could also occur which would appear as skin pain, red or purple skin rash with blistering and peeling.
Adverse Reactions: This drug can cause stomach bleeding, liver problems such as loss of appetite or jaundice, kidney problems such as low frequency of urination or dependent edema, or anemia.
Scenario: A 24 year old female has been experiencing worsening menstrual cramps and ibuprofen and acetaminophen do not seem to be effective. Patient’s doctor suggested trying Aleve tablets which contain 220 mg of naproxen sodium and provide up to 12 hours of pain relief. Patient took one tablet to start and began experiencing shortness of breath. The patient started to experience tingling and swelling of the face. The patient immediately called emergency services due to signs of an allergic reaction.
Sources:
Aleve Tablets. Aleve. (2024). https://www.aleve.com/products/aleve/aleve-tablets
Durbin, K. (2024, January 24). Naproxen: Uses, dosage, side effects, warnings. Drugs.com. https://www.drugs.com/naproxen.html#dosage
Student 2 Melanie Sink
Medication: Ibuprofen
Ibuprofen is a non-narcotic, anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) which is used to treat mild to moderate pain, inflammation, and fever.
Side effects: Gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and rash.
Adverse reactions: gastrointestinal bleeding, ulcer, damage to the kidneys, heart attack or stroke.
Harmful scenario: Patient with history of gastrointestinal ulcers and kidney disease was seen in the ED for back pain, and arthritis. If prescribed ibuprofen this could cause significant gastrointestinal bleeding due to history of ulcers.
Sources:
Drugs.com. (n.d.). Ibuprofen. Drugs.com. Retrieved August 29, 2024, from https://www.drugs.com/ibuprofen.html
University of North Carolina Kidney Center. (n.d.). Medicines and other substances to avoid when you have chronic kidney disease. Retrieved August 29, 2024, from https://unckidneycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/413/2017/10/ckd_medicines.pdf