Recommendation	Label	References
Acetaminophen in doses up to 1,000 mg is the initial choice for most mild to moderate acute pain.	B	6
The first-line NSAID for safety, efficacy, and cost is ibuprofen in doses of 400 mg.	A	10,13,14,16
For moderate to severe pain, consider narcotic acetaminophen or narcotic ibuprofen combination.	B	36 through 38
Tramadol, propoxyphene, and codeine provide inferior analgesia to other recommended agents.	A	39 through 41,43,44
COX-2 inhibitors provide analgesia equal to NSAIDs at greater cost and may be reserved for patients who have a history of GI bleeding and have failed treatment with acetaminophen.	B	22 through 24,26 to 28