> It is also an NSAID.
No, its not. Acetaminophen is not an NSAID (which is why NSAIDs are better on inflammatory pain.)
No, its not. Acetaminophen is not an NSAID (which is why NSAIDs are better on inflammatory pain.)
It doesn't mean it has the same mechanism of action, the same COX selectivity, the same side effect profile, etc, as all other drugs within the class.
I'd add that confusion is only compounded when it's mixed with NSAIDs such aspirin and ibuprofen. Such mixtures are pretty popular.
Edit - Add;
'NSAIDs and Gastrointestinal (GI) Injury'
It is usually distinguished from them, especially as the one OTC painkiller typically usable by people with conditions for which they should not take NSAIDs, and which lacks the issues with long-term use of NSAIDs.
OTOH, with more digging, while most medical sources distinguish it, it is occasionally identified as an NSAID in the literature – ironically, the first source I could find that does that is a paper which both calls it one and contrasts it with NSAIDs, so it seems a bit confused – and it apparently has some (though weak enough compared to the things usually labelled NSAIDs that most sources just straight up refer to it as not being anti-inflammatory) anti-inflammatory effect.
Although I think this would be more controversial than the inclusion of paracetamol. Personally, I think many DMARDs might be considered NSAIDs as well (except by somewhat arbitrary-seeming exclusion).
When I really think about it, I think the nomenclature might just be conventional and not necessarily make much sense.