Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) Practice Exam

NSAIDs are anti-inflammatory drugs, and they are also known as what?

1. Steroids

2. Analgesics

3. Antibiotics

4. Antihistamines

The correct answer is: Analgesics

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are classified as analgesics because they are effective in relieving pain. While their primary role is to reduce inflammation, they also inhibit the production of substances in the body, such as prostaglandins, that cause pain and fever. This makes them particularly beneficial not only for treating inflammatory conditions but also for managing mild to moderate pain, which is the defining characteristic of analgesics. The other options do not fit the classification of NSAIDs. Steroids, for example, are a different class of anti-inflammatory drugs that work through a different mechanism by suppressing the immune response. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections and have no analgesic properties. Antihistamines are primarily used to treat allergic reactions and do not provide pain relief or anti-inflammatory effects. Understanding these distinctions helps clarify why NSAIDs are categorized as analgesics.