title: The Challenges of Treating Sciatica Pain in Older Adults.
abstract: Sciatica is a debilitating condition affecting approximately 25 % of the population. Typically, the patient will complain of lower limb pain that is more severe than pain in the lower back, usually accompanied by numbness and motor weakness. Most international guidelines recommend pharmacological management for the pain relief of sciatica, including paracetamol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioid analgesics, anticonvulsants, and corticosteroids, among others. However, the evidence for most of these pharmacological options is scarce, and the majority of clinical trials exclude older patients. There is overall very limited information on the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of these medicines in older patients with sciatica. This review presents a critical appraisal of the existing evidence for the pharmacological treatment of sciatica, with a special focus on the older adult. The age-related changes in the health of older patients, as well as their impact on the response to pharmacological treatment, including polypharmacy, drug interactions, and drug-disease interactions, is also discussed.
authors.affiliation: The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, PO Box M201, Missenden Rd, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia. mferreira@georgeinstitute.org.au.|Institute of Bone and Joint Research, The Kolling Institute, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. mferreira@georgeinstitute.org.au.
authors.forename: Manuela L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy and Centre for Education and Research in Ageing, The University of Sydney and Concord Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McLachlan
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects*; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012585:Sciatica / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000700:Analgesics; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000082:Acetaminophen