Search results for "analgesics"
showing 10 items of 260 documents
Current Pharmacological Treatment of Painful Diabetic Neuropathy: A Narrative Review.
2020
Background and Objectives: Distal symmetrical polyneuropathy (DSPN) is one of the most common chronic complications of diabetes mellitus. Although it is usually characterized by progressive sensory loss, some patients may develop chronic pain. Assessment of DSPN is not difficult, but the biggest challenge is making the correct diagnosis and choosing the right treatment. The treatment of DSPN has three primary objectives: glycemic control, pathogenic mechanisms, and pain management. The aim of this brief narrative review is to summarize the current pharmacological treatment of painful DSPN. It also summarizes knowledge on pathogenesis-oriented therapy, which is generally overlooked in many p…
Prolonged-release buprenorphine formulations: Perspectives for clinical practice
2020
International audience; Buprenorphine and methadone are the two main opioid agonist treatments approved for opioid use disorder. Buprenorphine is a partial agonist of the mu opioid receptors, which has been merely available through sublingual form until now. In practice, the use of buprenorphine is smoother than that of methadone, and it induces reduced risks of overdose. However, sublingual buprenorphine also exposes to risks (e.g., withdrawal, misuse) and constraints (e.g., daily intake). Three new galenic formulations of prolonged-release buprenorphine (PRB) are being commercialized and should allow some improvements in patients' comfort and safety. This narrative review aims to describe…
Use of opioid analgesics in the treatment of cancer pain: evidence-based recommendations from the EAPC
2012
Here we provide the updated version of the guidelines of the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) on the use of opioids for the treatment of cancer pain. The update was undertaken by the European Palliative Care Research Collaborative. Previous EAPC guidelines were reviewed and compared with other currently available guidelines, and consensus recommendations were created by formal international expert panel. The content of the guidelines was defined according to several topics, each of which was assigned to collaborators who developed systematic literature reviews with a common methodology. The recommendations were developed by a writing committee that combined the evidence deriv…
An Italian survey on the attitudes in treating breakthrough cancer pain in hospice.
2010
As recognition and treatment of breakthrough cancer pain (BcP) depend on the education and knowledge of palliative care physicians, it is important to systematically explore the attitudes of palliative care physicians in hospices or palliative care units. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes of hospice physicians in Italy regarding BcP and its treatment. All hospices existing in Italy were interviewed to gather information about provision of BP medication, drugs of choice, preferred route of administration, methods to choose the dose, and choice of BcP medication based on opioid administered for background analgesia. Of 158 hospices registered, 122 centers agreed …
Complex regional pain syndrome: An optimistic perspective.
2014
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) presents with clinical symptoms that can no longer be explained by the initial trauma, including pain, sensory, motor, and trophic symptoms, and impairment of autonomic control of the limb. These symptoms spread distally and go beyond single nerve innervation territories. Typically, the symptoms change through the course of CRPS as a result of the varying pathophysiology. Diagnosis is made clinically after the rigorous elimination of other possible causes, and 3-phase bone scintigraphy can be a useful tool for confirming CRPS. In acute stages, inflammatory symptoms prevail and should be treated with anti-inflammatory agents (steroids), bisphosphonates, …
Clinical Benefits of Early Triptan Therapy for Migraine
2004
The introduction of the triptans brought advances in achieving complete and sustained pain resolution in migraine patients, compared with non-migraine-specific treatments. However, sustained pain-free rates for triptans recorded in many clinical trials are still relatively low. This may be due to study participants being treated late into the attack, when pain is already moderate or severe. Studies with almotriptan have shown that efficacy is enhanced when treatment is given early in a migraine attack while pain is still mild, compared with later administration when pain intensity is greater. Developments in our understanding of migraine pathophysiology provide a rationale for this phenome…
Exploring gastric emptying rate in minipigs: Effect of food type and pre-dosing of metoclopramide.
2018
The present study investigated the gastric emptying rate in Gottingen minipigs pre- and post-prandial and evaluated the effect of metoclopramide on the same parameter, using paracetamol as an absorption marker. The pharmacokinetic evaluation of the obtained plasma concentration data for paracetamol demonstrated that the fastest gastric emptying rate was observed in the animals that were allowed access to normal pig food. There was no significant difference in the stomach emptying rate observed between fasted and fed minipigs, when fed either with a FDA standard breakfast or a nutritional energy drink. Pre-dosing minipigs with metoclopramide (0.2 or 0.4 mg/kg) did not demonstrate any effect …
Can eastern wisdom resolve western epidemics? Traditional Chinese medicine therapies and the opioid crisis.
2020
The widespread use of opioids to treat chronic pain led to a nation-wide crisis in the United States. Tens of thousands of deaths annually occur mainly due to respiratory depression, the most dangerous side effect of opioids. Non-opioid drugs and non-pharmacological treatments without addictive potential are urgently required. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is based on a completely different medical theory than academic Western medicine. The scientific basis of acupuncture and herbal treatments as main TCM practices has been considerably improved during the past two decades, and large meta-analyses with thousands of patients provide evidence for their efficacy. Furthermore, opinion lead…
Opioid titration in cancer pain: a critical review.
2006
Initiation of therapy with strong opioids is a challenging phase to obtain the maximum benefit and to gain the patient's compliance. The approach could be different, depending on the clinical situation and type of opioid regimen. Substantially, the need to titrate the dose of strong opioids emerges in different conditions: (a) in opioid-naive patients who require an opioid treatment; (b) in patients no longer responsive to weaker drugs requiring strong opioids; (c) in patients already receiving strong opioids requiring higher doses because of an increase in pain intensity or a new acute pain problem; (d) in patients who are severely suffering and need an intensive as well as rapid intervent…
Opioid Responsiveness-Primary Diagnosis Relationship in Advanced Cancer Patients Followed At Home
2000
The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the primary cancer on pain characteristics and opioid response, in terms of analgesia and adverse effects, in advanced cancer patients followed at home. A prospective study was carried out in a sample of 434 consecutive advanced cancer patients who required opioids during the last four weeks of life. One hundred eighty-one patients received opioids for longer than the four weeks and were considered for this analysis. Demographic data, primary diagnosis, and pain mechanisms were recorded, and mean opioid doses, pain intensity, and symptoms were assessed at weekly intervals during the last four weeks of life. In the group of 181 patients,…