title: Analgesia in critical care.
abstract: All medical interventions, including the provision of analgesia, are associated with risks and benefits, which, when considered together, comprise that intervention's risk/benefit ratio. All interventions have alternatives (including no intervention), and each alternative possesses its own risk/benefit ratio. Clinical decision making involves comparing and contrasting the risk/benefit ratios of alternative interventions (relative risk/benefit ratio). The most formidable limitations of drug treatment relate to their potential to produce pharmacologic side effects or complications. Careful monitoring and the use of strategies for preventing and managing drug side effects are often all that is required to maintain efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California at Davis, 2112 Tupper Hall, Davis, CA 95616, USA. drglow@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Maria M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Glowaski
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003422:Critical Care; D007649:Ketamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D007649:Ketamine