How do other pain management drugs work?
Drugs that do not fall into any of the specific classes of pain management drugs are categorized as other pain management drugs. The other pain management drugs contain a drug class that is a combination of a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), used to manage chronic pain.
NSAIDs reduce inflammation, bring down fever and relieve pain, but increase stomach acid production and produce several gastrointestinal adverse effects when taken for prolonged periods. Proton pump inhibitors inhibit the secretion of stomach acid and mitigate gastrointestinal side effects to a certain extent.
NSAIDs control inflammation by inhibiting the activity of enzymes known as cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2), essential for the biosynthesis of prostaglandin. Prostaglandin is a fatty compound that promotes inflammation, which results in pain, fever, and other symptoms.
Proton pump inhibitors block stomach acid secretion by inhibiting the activity of hydrogen potassium ATPase (HK-ATPase). HK ATPase is an enzyme that is involved in the pumping of stomach acid secreted by cells known as parietal cells located in the stomach lining. PPIs are commonly used to treat gastric ulcers, heartburn, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
What are the uses of other pain management drugs?
Other pain management drugs are a combination of naproxen, an NSAID, and esomeprazole, a PPI. The NSAID/PPI combination is taken as tablets to manage chronic pain in conditions that require prolonged treatment such as:
- Rheumatoid arthritis: Autoimmune type of arthritis
- Osteoarthritis: Age-related degenerative arthritis
- Ankylosing spondylitis: Autoimmune inflammatory disease that causes the vertebrae to fuse over time
What are side effects of other pain management drugs?
Side effects of other pain management drugs, NSAID/PPI include:
- Gastric erosion (19%); compared with 38% for equal naproxen dose without PPI
- Dyspepsia (18%); compared with 27% for equal naproxen dose without PPI
- Gastritis
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Hiatal hernia
- Abdominal distension
- Flatulence
- Esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus)
- Erosive esophagitis (inflammation with damage to esophagus)
- Constipation
- Headache
- Dysgeusia (taste distortion)
- Erosive duodenitis (inflammation with damage to the duodenum)
- Duodenal ulcer
- Hemorrhagic gastritis
- GERD
- Hematochezia (bright blood in stool)
- Gait disturbance
- Contusion
- Fall
- Joint swelling
- Muscle spasm
- Renal tubular necrosis (damage to kidney tubule cells)
Information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible side effects, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. Check with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure these drugs do not cause any harm when you take them along with other medicines. Never stop taking your medication and never change your dose or frequency without consulting your doctor.
