NSAID
Say it: EN-sed
Short for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug
An NSAID is a non-steroid medicine, such as ibuprofen or aspirin, that relieves pain, fever and inflammation by blocking cyclooxygenase enzymes.
Also: NSAIDs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
Definition
What is an NSAID?
NSAIDs, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are a large class of medicines that ease pain, lower fever and reduce inflammation without being steroids. Familiar examples are aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen and diclofenac, many sold without a prescription, and celecoxib.
They work by inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX), the enzyme that makes prostaglandins and related signaling lipids. Prostaglandins drive swelling, make pain-sensing nerve endings more sensitive and help produce fever, so cutting their production relieves all three. The enzyme has two main forms. COX-2 drives much of the pain and inflammation that follow tissue injury, while COX-1 handles housekeeping jobs such as protecting the stomach lining, supporting kidney function and helping platelets work. Most NSAIDs block both; celecoxib mainly targets COX-2.
Blocking COX-1 explains the main side effects: stomach ulcers and bleeding, kidney injury and easier bruising. NSAIDs can also raise the risk of heart attack and stroke. Low-dose aspirin is a special case, because it blocks platelet COX irreversibly and is used to prevent clots. Acetaminophen (paracetamol) eases pain and fever but is not an NSAID, since it has little anti-inflammatory action.
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Terms that go with it
- InflammationInflammation is the body's protective response to infection or injury, in which leaky, widened blood vessels bring immune cells and fluid to the site.
- PlateletA platelet is a small cell fragment in the blood that helps stop bleeding by plugging damaged vessels and helping a blood clot form.
- EnzymeAn enzyme is a biological catalyst, usually a protein, that speeds up a specific chemical reaction without being used up in the process.
- KidneyThe kidneys are two bean-shaped organs that filter the blood to make urine, balancing the body's water, salts and acid and helping set blood pressure.
- AsthmaAsthma is a long-term lung disease in which the airways become inflamed and narrowed, causing wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and breathlessness.
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