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Effectiveness of Drug Combinations in the Treatment of Chronic Pain
An article in the October 10, 2009, issue of The Lancet presented encouraging results
for the use of drug combinations in treating neuropathic pain. Researchers at Queen’s
University discovered this synergistic effect in patients given gabapentin, an anticonvulsant,
and nortriptyline, an antidepressant (The Lancet).
The Queen’s study showed positive benefits of this drug combination on sleep interference
in patients suffering from neuropathic pain caused by nerve damage or disease. The
researchers noted that the combination of
gabapentin and
nortriptyline represented the first successful drug combination from
their study that lessens sleep interference in chronic pain patients. An earlier
trial of gabapentin and morphine, the other type of commonly prescribed drug for
neuropathic pain, significantly decreased patients’ pain levels but did not improve
their ability to sleep.
Dr. Ian Gilron, director of Clinical Pain Research for Queen’s Departments of Anesthesiology,
Pharmacology, and Toxicology and an anesthesiologist at Kingston General Hospital,
stressed the importance of understanding drug interactions in treatment options
for neuropathic pain. Dr. Gilron also indicated the need for more evidence regarding
potential safety issues of each drug combination and the importance of informing
doctors and patients about such studies.
The Queen’s team stated that their research methodology could be applied to other
types of chronic pain in addition to neuropathic pain, such as cancer-related pain
and spinal disk disease. The focus of their methodology on sleep interference offers
a possible treatment for the vicious cycle in which less sleep means more pain.
Cerilliant provides numerous DEA-exempt, certified solution standards including
native and labeled standards of gabapentin and nortriptyline, as well as a variety
of drug classes used in pain management including opiates, anticonvulsants, nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antidepressants, and certain cardiac drugs for
chest pain. Click on the links below to view these featured drug standards:
Cerilliant Certified Drug Standards of Opiates
Cerilliant Certified Drug Standards of Anticonvulsants
Cerilliant Certified Drug Standards of NSAIDs
Cerilliant Certified Drug Standards of Antidepressants
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