Saturday, August 18, 2007

Indications for Antidepressant use in patients with chronic pain disorders

....USE OF ANTIDEPRESSANTS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC PAIN
Pain and depression are closely intertwined, strongly hinting at a shared neurophysiology. As a consequence, one prevailing pharmacologic strategy identifies a central role for serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).1 Other justifications, even without a common biologic rationale, strongly support the use of antidepressants in the management of chronic pain. For example, chronic pain characteristically causes sleep problems, anxiety, and depression, all of which may improve with antidepressant treatment.2 Providing an effective, nonhabituating sleep medication that also improves mood may significantly enhance the patient’s quality of life....

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