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Pharmacology · single question

All of the following are true about NSAIDs EXCEPT:

  1. They exhibit a 'ceiling effect' (increasing the dose beyond a certain point does not produce additional analgesia, only more side effects)
  2. They are commonly used for mild-to-moderate acute and chronic pain (e.g., osteoarthritis)
  3. They have antipyretic and anti-inflammatory properties in addition to analgesic effects
  4. They have no maximum recommended dose
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Correct answer: D. They have no maximum recommended dose

NSAIDs absolutely DO have a maximum recommended dose for each specific agent (e.g., ibuprofen's commonly cited ceiling around 3200 mg/day, naproxen's around 1000-1500 mg/day) — exceeding it increases GI, renal, and cardiovascular risk without added analgesic benefit, which is exactly what the 'ceiling effect' describes. The other statements (ceiling effect, use in mild-to-moderate/chronic pain, antipyretic/anti-inflammatory action) are all true.

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