Analgesics An Aspirin A Day example essay topic

Analgesics 'An aspirin a day keeps the doctor away. ' Although this saying can be true, it is not only aspirin that can cure the pains of life, but also several other types of analgesics. There are a wide variety of analgesics. More commonly known as painkillers.

The narcotic analgesics act on the central nervous system and change the user's perception; they are more often used for severe pain and can make the user develop an addiction. The nonnarcotic analgesics, known as over the counter or OTC, work at the site of the pain. These do not create tolerance or dependence and do not vary the user's perception. OTC's are more commonly used everyday to treat mild pain. Many people wish to treat familiar pains themselves, such as toothache or headache pain.

To treat these types of symptoms, OTC's are used. There are three main types of OTC drugs. They are as follows: . Aspirin (salicylic acid acetate) is an anti-inflammatory (decreases swelling and inflammation), anti-pyretic (fever reducing), and anti-platelet (decreases platelets in the body to thin blood). Many heart treatment patients take an aspirin a day to prevent blood clotting.

However, if aspirin is taken in large quantities over long periods of time, it may cause gastric ulcers or other internal damage. The molecular formula of aspirin is C 9 H 8 O 4. Some examples of Aspirin are Bayer, Eco trin, and Asper gum... Ibuprofen (prop ionic acid) is an anti-inflammatory and anti-pyretic.

It is often used to treat arthritis, dental pain, menstrual pain, headache, migraine, and back pain. Ibuprofen works by reducing the levels of prostaglandins (substances that cause pain) in the body. This drug is gentler on the stomach than aspirin. The molecular formula of ibuprofen is C 13 H 18 O 2. Some examples of ibuprofen are Motrin, Advil, and Nu prin... Acetaminophen (Paracetamol) is an alternative to aspirin.

It is also an anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic, and anti-platelet. Acetaminophen is much less likely to cause intestinal side affects than aspirin, however overdose of this drug can cause serious liver poisoning. The molecular formula for acetaminophen is C 8 H 9 NO 2. Some examples of Acetaminophen are Tylenol, M idol, and Panadoc. Each of these OTC analgesics has different side affects and purposes, but they all share three common elements. These elements are Carbon (atomic number 6, atomic mass 12.011), Hydrogen (atomic number 1, atomic mass 1.0079) and Oxygen (atomic number 8, atomic mass 15.999).

By looking at the molecular formulas of each type of OTC analgesic, these three common elements form the base for each chemical compound. Acetaminophen has an additional element of Nitrogen (atomic number 7, atomic mass 14.007). Since Nitrogen is unique to acetaminophen, the pain relieving action is slightly different from aspirin and ibuprofen. These three categories of analgesics are the main over the counter pain relievers. Their modes of action are similar, however, because of the specific molecular formulas, each one reacts differently in the body. So, 'An aspirin a day keeps the doctor away', does not have to be just aspirin... think of ibuprofen and acetaminophen too!

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