title: Update on pharmacotherapy guidelines for the treatment of neuropathic pain.
abstract: Neuropathic pain is a common problem in our society affecting nearly 1.5% of the US population. There currently are five medications approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of neuropathic pain, which include gabapentin, pregabalin, duloxetine, 5% lidocaine patch, and carbamazepine. Other agents with proven efficacy in multiple randomized, placebo-controlled trials include opioids, tricyclic antidepressants, venlafaxine, and tramadol. All of these agents, both FDA-approved and off-label, have been recommended as first-line treatments for neuropathic pain. This article discusses these agents in detail as they relate to the treatment of neuropathic pain.
authors.affiliation: Center for Pain and Palliative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Douglas A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Dobecki
authors.forename: Sanford M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Schocket
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Wallace
mesh_terms: D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
chemical_list: D002491:Central Nervous System Agents
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