![](/uploads/1/2/5/5/125579231/723898815.jpeg)
Narcotic analgesics are a class of medicines that are used to provide relief from moderate-to-severe acute. They may also be called opiates, opioid analgesics, or narcotics. Analgesic is another name for a medicine that relieves pain.Narcotic analgesics are one of the most widely used analgesics for pain relief; however, they have been overused, overprescribed, and misused which has resulted in more than two million people in the U.S. Alone having a substance misuse disorder involving prescription narcotic analgesics.Narcotic analgesics work by binding to opioid receptors, part of the opioid system that controls pain, pleasurable and addictive behaviors. Opioid receptors are more abundant in the brain and spinal cord but are also located elsewhere in the body such as the stomach and the lungs. The main opioid receptor that narcotic analgesics bind to is the mu receptor.
![Opioids Opioids](http://gtpolice.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/PrescriptionDrugs-BottlesPills.jpg)
May 02, 2018 Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). Examples of NSAIDs include ibuprofen, diclofenac and naproxen. Aspirin is also an NSAID. However, it is mainly prescribed (in low doses) to help to keep the blood from clotting - for example, for people who have had a heart attack in the past.
What are narcotic analgesics used for?In the past, narcotic analgesics have been used for all types of pain, which may explain why there are so many people addicted to them today.The most appropriate use of narcotic analgesics is for the relief of short-term, intense pain, such as that occurring immediately after surgery or due to a medical condition.Narcotic analgesics are also appropriate for the relief of pain due to cancer, or for palliative care or end-of life care. However, they should only be considered to treat other types of chronic pain under strict conditions and with close monitoring. What are the differences between narcotic analgesics?Narcotic analgesics differ in their structure, potency, and the way they are absorbed, distributed, metabolized and excreted within the body.Some, like morphine and codeine were originally derived from plants. Others, such as heroin, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxycodone and oxymorphone were made by modifying morphine and are called semi-synthetic. There are three main classes of opioids – those that are structurally like morphine (the phenanthrenes), those that resemble fentanyl (the phenylpiperidines), and those that resemble methadone (the phenylheptylamines).Different narcotic analgesics have different potencies, based on how strongly they bind to the opioid receptor (for example, fentanyl is 80 to 100 times stronger than morphine). This means that dosages for one narcotic may be significantly different from another.
Although conversion charts exist (these tell you what dose of a narcotic compares to the equivalent analgesic dose of morphine), these are only at best a guide because other variables, such as an individual’s genetics, also play a part in how a person responds to a narcotic.If a narcotic analgesic is deemed appropriate, codeine or tramadol should be tried first if the pain is mild-to-moderate. If the pain is unresponsive to these analgesics, or for more severe pain, then hydromorphone, morphine, or oxycodone should be considered. Fentanyl and methadone should only be used for severe pain that is unresponsive to other narcotic analgesics. Common narcotic analgesics available in the U.S. References. Opioid Addiction. 2016 Facts & Figures.
American Society of Addiction Medicine. Drewes AM, Jensen RD, Nielsen LM, et al. Differences between opioids: pharmacological, experimental, clinical and economical perspectives.
![Alcohol Alcohol](/uploads/1/2/5/5/125579231/388909143.jpg)
British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. Doi:10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04317.x. Canadian Guideline for Safe and Effective Use of Opioids for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain Michael G. War of rights classes. National Pain Centre. McMaster University. Fentanyl Effentora 100 mcg Buccal Tablets. TevaPharmaBC Rational Opioid use.
Stanford Education 2008. Of Narcotic analgesics.
![](/uploads/1/2/5/5/125579231/723898815.jpeg)