Module 1,2| NUR 334 Pharmacology
Exam Summary Guide Arizona
College Of Nursing |YEAR 2025-
2026
What is Nociceptor Pain?
Injury to tissues
- Somatic: Sharp, localized sensation
- Visceral: Dull, throbbing, aching pain
What is Neuropathic Pain?
Direct injury to nerves
- Responds well to adjuvant analgesics
- Carpal tunnel syndrome, diabetic neuropathy, intractable cancer pain, phantom limb,
sciatica, trigeminal neuralgia
What are Nociceptors? Explain A Delta Fibers & C Fibers
Nociceptors: Free nerve endings located throughout the body
- A Delta Fibers: signal sharp, well defined pain
- C Fibers: slower, dull and poorly localized pain
What is an Analgesic?
Pain Reliever
What is an Opioid Analgesic? What symptoms can they produce?
Natural or synthetic morphine-like substance responsible for reducing moderate to
severe pain
- Narcotic substances can produce numbness or stupor-like symptoms
What is an Opioid Receptor?
Mu, Kappa, and Delta-mu are most important for pain management
,Opioid Agonist stimulate which receptors?
Mu and Kappa Receptors
Opioid Antagonists block which receptors?
Blocks Mu and Kappa Receptors
Morphine
- Drug Class
- MOA
- Therapeutic Uses
- SE/AE
- RN Considerations
Morphine
- Drug Class: Opioid
- MOA: Binds with mu and kappa receptor sites for analgesia
- Therapeutic Uses: Serious acute and chronic pain after nonnarcotic analgesics have
failed, preanesthetic medication
- SE/AE: Constipation, respiratory depression, oliguria, cardiac arrest, dependence
- RN Considerations: Pain level, BP/RR, urinary output, bowel sounds, LOC,
CBC/LFT/BUN/Cr, pt education, IV push given over 4-5 min
Naloxone (Narcan)
- Drug Class
- MOA
- Therapeutic Uses
- SE/AE
- RN Considerations
Naloxone (Narcan)
- Drug Class: Opioid Antagonist
- MOA: Blocks mu and kappa receptors to reverse symptoms of addiction, toxicity, or
overdose
- Therapeutic Uses: Complete or partial reversal of opioid effects in emergency
situations when acute opioid OD is suspected, post-op opioid depression
- SE/AE: Increased BP, tremors, hyperventilation, drowsiness, vomiting
, - RN Considerations: BR/RR, LOC. Crosses the placenta, Given for RR less than 10
Seconds
Receptor
Molecule to which medication binds to initiate its effects
Agonist
Medication stimulates the effects of a receptor or substance
Partial Agonist
Drug binds to receptor and produces a weaker, less effective response
How Medications Work: Antagonist
Medication inhibits the effects of a receptor or substance
Pharmacology of Older Adults
- Absorption: diminished gastric motility, decreased blood flow to digestive organs,
increased gastric pH
- Distribution: increased body fat, decreased lean muscle mass, reduced plasma level,
less body water, liver produces less albumin, decreased cardiac output
- Metabolism: first pass effect reduced, decreased liver enzymes, half life of many
drugs increased, tissue concentrations increased
- Excretion: reduced renal blood flow, reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR),
decreased active tubular secretion, decreased nephron function, increased serum
creatinine levels
PAIN MODULE
PAIN MODULE
Exam Summary Guide Arizona
College Of Nursing |YEAR 2025-
2026
What is Nociceptor Pain?
Injury to tissues
- Somatic: Sharp, localized sensation
- Visceral: Dull, throbbing, aching pain
What is Neuropathic Pain?
Direct injury to nerves
- Responds well to adjuvant analgesics
- Carpal tunnel syndrome, diabetic neuropathy, intractable cancer pain, phantom limb,
sciatica, trigeminal neuralgia
What are Nociceptors? Explain A Delta Fibers & C Fibers
Nociceptors: Free nerve endings located throughout the body
- A Delta Fibers: signal sharp, well defined pain
- C Fibers: slower, dull and poorly localized pain
What is an Analgesic?
Pain Reliever
What is an Opioid Analgesic? What symptoms can they produce?
Natural or synthetic morphine-like substance responsible for reducing moderate to
severe pain
- Narcotic substances can produce numbness or stupor-like symptoms
What is an Opioid Receptor?
Mu, Kappa, and Delta-mu are most important for pain management
,Opioid Agonist stimulate which receptors?
Mu and Kappa Receptors
Opioid Antagonists block which receptors?
Blocks Mu and Kappa Receptors
Morphine
- Drug Class
- MOA
- Therapeutic Uses
- SE/AE
- RN Considerations
Morphine
- Drug Class: Opioid
- MOA: Binds with mu and kappa receptor sites for analgesia
- Therapeutic Uses: Serious acute and chronic pain after nonnarcotic analgesics have
failed, preanesthetic medication
- SE/AE: Constipation, respiratory depression, oliguria, cardiac arrest, dependence
- RN Considerations: Pain level, BP/RR, urinary output, bowel sounds, LOC,
CBC/LFT/BUN/Cr, pt education, IV push given over 4-5 min
Naloxone (Narcan)
- Drug Class
- MOA
- Therapeutic Uses
- SE/AE
- RN Considerations
Naloxone (Narcan)
- Drug Class: Opioid Antagonist
- MOA: Blocks mu and kappa receptors to reverse symptoms of addiction, toxicity, or
overdose
- Therapeutic Uses: Complete or partial reversal of opioid effects in emergency
situations when acute opioid OD is suspected, post-op opioid depression
- SE/AE: Increased BP, tremors, hyperventilation, drowsiness, vomiting
, - RN Considerations: BR/RR, LOC. Crosses the placenta, Given for RR less than 10
Seconds
Receptor
Molecule to which medication binds to initiate its effects
Agonist
Medication stimulates the effects of a receptor or substance
Partial Agonist
Drug binds to receptor and produces a weaker, less effective response
How Medications Work: Antagonist
Medication inhibits the effects of a receptor or substance
Pharmacology of Older Adults
- Absorption: diminished gastric motility, decreased blood flow to digestive organs,
increased gastric pH
- Distribution: increased body fat, decreased lean muscle mass, reduced plasma level,
less body water, liver produces less albumin, decreased cardiac output
- Metabolism: first pass effect reduced, decreased liver enzymes, half life of many
drugs increased, tissue concentrations increased
- Excretion: reduced renal blood flow, reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR),
decreased active tubular secretion, decreased nephron function, increased serum
creatinine levels
PAIN MODULE
PAIN MODULE
