Un analgésico es un medicamento para calmar o eliminar el dolor, ya sea de cabeza, muscular, de artrítis, etc. Existen diferentes tipos de analgésicos y cada uno tiene sus ventajas y riesgos. Etimológicamente procede del prefijo griego an- (‘carencia, negación’) y άλγος (/álgos/, ‘dolor’). Aunque se puede usar el término para cualquier sustancia, es decir, cualquier medio que reduzca el dolor, generalmente se refiere a un conjunto de fármacos, de familias químicas diferentes que calman o eliminan el dolor por diferentes mecanismos.

Leer el artículo completo en Wikipedia · CC-BY-SA

An analgesic or painkiller is any member of the group of drugs used to achieve analgesia, relief from pain. Analgesic drugs act in various ways on the peripheral and central nervous systems. They are distinct from anesthetics, which temporarily affect, and in some instances completely eliminate, sensation. Analgesics include paracetamol (known in North America as acetaminophen or simply APAP), the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as the salicylates, and opioid drugs such as morphine and oxycodone. In choosing analgesics, the severity and response to other medication determines the choice of agent; the World Health Organization (WHO) pain ladder specifies mild analgesics as its first step. Analgesic choice is also determined by the type of pain: For neuropathic pain, traditional analgesics are less effective, and there is often benefit from classes of drugs that are not normally considered analgesics, such as tricyclic antidepressants and anticonvulsants.

Leer el artículo completo en Wikipedia · CC-BY-SA