Evidence-based treatment paradigms for depressed patients with pain and physical symptoms.
Some antidepressants may be efficacious in alleviating pain. While few studies have directly compared antidepressants for the treatment of painful physical symptoms, meta-analyses of efficacy studies have found that antidepressants that act at serotonergic and noradrenergic neurotransmitters, such as some tricyclics and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), may alleviate pain independently of their effects on mood. These dual-action agents have more consistently shown efficacy for pain than single-action agents.
Fishbain
David A
DA
Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Neurological Surgery, and Anesthesiology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Fla., USA.
D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D014179:Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D014179:Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors