Caffeine in the treatment of pain.
OBJECTIVE
Caffeine is a widely used substance with effects on several systems, presenting characteristic of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic which cause interactions with several drugs. This study's objective is to review the effects caused by caffeine.


BACKGROUND
This review assesses the caffeine pharmacology, its action mechanisms, indications, contraindications, doses, interactions and adverse effects.


CONCLUSIONS
There are insufficient double-blind randomized controlled studies that assess the analgesic effect of caffeine on several painful syndromes. Patients presenting chronic pain need caution when it comes to tolerance development, abstinence and drug interaction from chronic caffeine use.
Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Intensive Care, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil.
Cristiane
C
Tavares
Rioko Kimiko
RK
Sakata
D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*
D002110:Caffeine