Neurológia pre prax Brožúra Liečba chronickej bolesti/2011

Pharmacotherapy of pain – analgesics and adjuvant analgesics

Pharmacotherapy is the cornerstone of pain management of acute and chronic pain. Analgesics play a dominant role in acute pain. A variety of drug classes are used to treat chronic pain, including non-opioid and opioid analgesics, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, local anaesthetics, muscle relaxants, topical capsaicin, and others. The WHO stepped approach to the treatment of chronic cancer pain, progressing from non-opioids to strong opioids, is equally applicable to chronic pain of non-cancer origin. Opioid medications are the mainstay for the clinical management of severe pain. However, opioids are not beneficial in all types of pain and they may result in unfavourable side effects.

Keywords: analgesics, analgesic ladder, tolerance, dependence.