[Neuropathic pains: background, new tools, new drugs].

Abstract

Neuropathic pains are frequent with better understood underlying mechanisms. The introduction of a new questionnaire, named DN4 (neuropathic pain 4 questions) will certainly be useful to prevent persistent pain. Here we describe current approaches to diagnosis and pharmacological treatments. Antidepressants, anticonvulsants, opioids and topical local anesthetics are part of the evidence-based approach, alone or in combination. The choice of the drug is based on the type of pain, a predominantly diffused pain being firstly treated with tricyclic antidepressants, whereas paroxysmal and localized pain being more adequately treated with anti-epileptics. Pregabaline, the newest anticonvulsant launched in the Swiss market, appears to be effective as a treatment of painful diabetic polyneuropathy and postherpetic neuralgia.

• Authors: Thierry Kuntzer, Isabelle Decosterd
• Journal: Revue medicale suisse (Rev Med Suisse) Vol. 1 Issue 43 Pg. 2812-6 (Nov 30 2005) ISSN: 1660-9379 [Print] Switzerland
• Vernacular Title: Douleurs neuropathiques: contexte, nouveaux outils, nouveaux médicaments.
• PMID: 16396371 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Anesthetics
• Anticonvulsants
• Antidepressive Agents
• Narcotics

Topics

• Anesthetics (therapeutic use)
• Anticonvulsants (therapeutic use)
• Antidepressive Agents (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Narcotics (therapeutic use)
• Nervous System Diseases (complications)
• Pain (drug therapy, etiology)