Comparative review: Efficacy of opioid versus non-opioid analgesic treatment in patients with acute pain in the emergency room

Acute pain, a prevalent symptom in emergency contexts, often stems from trauma, surgical interventions, or acute medical conditions, requiring effective management to mitigate discomfort and prevent chronic sequelae. This study compares the efficacy, safety, and outcomes of opioid analgesic use compared to non-opioid analgesics in acute pain management in emergency settings. The systematic review includes data from databases such as SciELO and PubMed, as well as the critical analysis of reference works in pharmacology such as "Rang & Dale's Pharmacology", "Goodman & Gilman's: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics" and "Lange's Basic & Clinical Pharmacology". The results show that while opioids offer immediate and potent relief from severe pain, non-opioids are often preferred due to a more benign safety profile.