Nail the 2025 ATI Pharmacology Proctored Practice Exam – Ace Your Way to Pharma Mastery!

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce inflammation primarily by inhibiting enzymes known as cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2). These enzymes are crucial for the synthesis of prostaglandins, which are lipid compounds that play a significant role in the inflammatory response. Prostaglandins promote inflammation, pain, and fever as part of the body's response to injury or infection.

By blocking the activity of these enzymes, NSAIDs decrease the production of prostaglandins, leading to reduced inflammation, pain relief, and decreased fever. This mechanism is why the correct answer emphasizes the inhibition of enzymes that produce prostaglandins, reinforcing NSAIDs' role as effective anti-inflammatory agents.

The other options describe processes that do not directly relate to the primary action of NSAIDs. Increasing blood flow to the affected area typically contributes to inflammation rather than reducing it. Blocking histamine release does not play a primary role in the mechanisms of NSAIDs; histamine is more closely associated with allergic responses and gastric acid regulation. Stimulating the immune response is not a function of NSAIDs and could even exacerbate inflammation, as it encourages more immune activity rather than suppressing it.