Opioids and central sensitisation: I. Preemptive analgesia.
Opioids are powerful analgesics when used to treat acute pain and some forms of chronic pain. A large body of literature has shown that opioids can, in addition, also prevent (this review) or induce and perhaps reverse, some forms central sensitisation in in vitro and in vivo animal models of pain. However, the concept of central sensitisation is, at present, ambiguous and the usefulness of opioids as preemptive analgesics in human pain patients is still not clear.
Sandkühler
Jürgen
J
Department of Neurophysiology, Centre for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 4, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. juergen.sandkuehler@meduniwien.ac.at
Ruscheweyh
Ruth
R
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006941:Hyperesthesia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020196:Trauma, Nervous System / Q000150:complications
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid