Expert review of neurotherapeutics
-
Expert Rev Neurother · May 2011
ReviewThe use of ketamine in complex regional pain syndrome: possible mechanisms.
Complex regional pain syndrome is a neuropathic pain syndrome that is characterized by: severe pain beyond the area of injury; autonomic dysregulation; neurogenic edema; movement disorder; and atrophy and dystrophy. Ketamine is an open-channel NMDA blocker that only acts on those receptors whose Mg(2+) block has been lifted. ⋯ Different protocols are utilized depending on the severity of illness. There have been no serious ketamine-induced complications from these protocols, owing to careful psychological screening and the liberal use of midazolam and lorazepam to counter any psychomimetic effects and clonidine to block possible 'Olney's' lesions.
-
Expert Rev Neurother · May 2011
ReviewPediatric procedural sedation and analgesia outside the operating room: anticipating, avoiding and managing complications.
In the new millennium, there has been a huge surge in the numbers of procedures performed under sedation in pediatric patients outside the operating room. Traditionally, these were performed by anesthesiologists. ⋯ Multi-institutional databases have been set up to investigate the complications related to procedural sedation and lessons are being learned from the analysis of these data. This article reviews these data and describes strategies to prevent and manage common adverse events following procedural sedation in children outside the operating room.
-
Expert Rev Neurother · May 2011
ReviewTHC and CBD oromucosal spray (Sativex®) in the management of spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis.
People with multiple sclerosis may present with a wide range of disease symptoms during the evolution of the disease; among these, spasticity can have a marked impact on their well-being and quality of life. Symptom control, including spasticity, remains a key management strategy to improve the patient's well-being and functional status. However, available drug therapies for spasticity sometimes have limited benefit and they are often associated with poor tolerability. ⋯ Results from randomized, controlled trials have reported a reduction in the severity of symptoms associated with spasticity, leading to a better ability to perform daily activities and an improved perception of patients and their carers regarding functional status when Sativex was added to the current treatment regimen. Adverse events such as dizziness, diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, headache and somnolence occur quite frequently with Sativex, but they are generally of mild-to-moderate intensity and their incidence can be markedly reduced by gradual 'uptitration'. In summary, initial well-controlled studies with Sativex oromucosal spray administered as an add-on to usual therapy have produced promising results and highlight encouraging avenues for future research.
-
Expert Rev Neurother · May 2011
ReviewTranscutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for the management of painful conditions: focus on neuropathic pain.
The management of neuropathic pain is challenging, with medication being the first-line treatment. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is an inexpensive, noninvasive, self-administered technique that is used as an adjunct to medication. ⋯ The findings of systematic reviews of TENS for other pain syndromes are inconclusive because trials have a low fidelity associated with inadequate TENS technique and infrequent treatments of insufficient duration. The use of electrode arrays to spatially target stimulation more precisely may improve the efficacy of TENS in the future.