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acute pain
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pain that is sudden in onset and is expected to last less than 1 month
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addiction
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a persistent, compulsive dependence on a substance or behavior despite known harm
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antipyretics
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medications used to treat fever
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chronic pain
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pain persisting longer than 3 months
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conduction
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the process of converting chemical signals into electrical signals to be carried by nerves
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cyclooxygenase
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an enzyme responsible for the production of several inflammatory cytokines, including prostaglandins
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cytochrome P450 2D6
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a family of oxidative enzymes responsible for metabolizing many different drugs
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cytokines
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proteins that regulate inflammation in immune responses
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hepatotoxicity
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injury to the liver caused by many factors, such as a drug, environmental toxins, or radioactive exposure
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modulation
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the process of enhancing or inhibiting a painful signal before it reaches the brain
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neuropathic pain
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pain that originates in the peripheral or central nervous system
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nociception
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the processing of noxious stimuli by both the peripheral and central nervous system
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nociceptive pain
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pain that occurs because of tissue injury
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nociceptors
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specialized nerves that respond to painful stimuli
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nonopioid analgesic
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any analgesic that does not activate the opioid receptors to relieve pain
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nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
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a classification of drugs that reduce inflammation by inhibiting the enzyme cyclooxygenase
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opioid agonists
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drugs that activate opioid receptors
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opioid use disorder
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a persistent, compulsive dependence on opioids
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pain
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an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage
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pain threshold
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the point at which a stimulus is perceived as painful
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perception
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the point at which the brain receives a painful signal
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referred pain
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deep visceral pain that causes pain elsewhere in the body (e.g., pancreatic injury that causes back pain, myocardial infarction that causes jaw and shoulder pain)
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Reye’s syndrome
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a disorder characterized by liver and brain toxicity culminating in life-threatening neurologic symptoms, seen most often in the setting of aspirin therapy in children with a viral illness
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substance P
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a neurotransmitter that enhances pain perception
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tolerance
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physiologic adaptation to the effect of a drug after repeated exposure
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transduction
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the initial activation of nociceptors
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transmission
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the process of carrying a painful signal from the peripheral nervous system to the brain
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withdrawal
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physiologic effects that occur after discontinuation of a drug that has been used for a prolonged period