Pharmacy Exam Points (to remember)... Set 18

1. In the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases, the most important limitation of aspirin is gastric mucosal damage.
2. Generally the earliest manifestation of salicylism is tinnitus.
3. Aspirin is contraindicated in children suffering from influenza or similar viral infection because of increased risk of Reye’s syndrome. This syndrome is rare yet serious. It can cause liver as well as brain damage, and sometimes even fatal liver disease or permanent brain damage.
4. Aspirin is contraindicated in pregnant women near term because labour may be delayed and prolonged, blood loss during delivery may be more and foetus may suffer premature closure of ductus arteriosus.
5. Aspirin suppresses flushing associated with large dose of nicotinic acid or niacin (niacin flush).
6. The anti-platelet action of Aspirin requires its lowest dose as compare to analgesic, anti-pyretic and anti-inflammatory actions.
7. Selective inhibition of thromboxane A2 synthesis by low dose aspirin therapy might retard the progression of pregnancy-induced hypertension.
8. Phenylbutazone should be used only in patients not responding to other NSAIDs because it has the potential to cause agranulocytosis.
9. The NSAIDs aggravate or worsen hypertension, congestive heart failure and peptic ulcer but not chronic gout.
10. Indomethacin is an eccentric analgesic due to the fact that it frequently causes headache as a side effect.