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1-59. NONSTEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS
a. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. They appear to act by inhibiting an enzyme that is key to the formation of prostaglandins. Examples are indomethacin (Indocin®) and ibuprofen (Motrin®, Advil®, Nuprin®).
b. Nursing care implications include monitoring the patient for gastric irritation and careful observation of patients with impaired hepatic or renal function when administering these drugs.
c. These drugs should be given after meals. If gastric intolerance occurs, the physician may prescribe administration of the drug with food or milk or may decrease dosage. The absorption rate is slower when ibuprofen is given with food. The physician will rely on the nurse's accurate observation and reporting in order to estimate the lowest effective dosage level.
