Acta anaesthesiologica Sinica
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Acta Anaesthesiol. Sin. · Dec 1995
ReviewClinical applications of excitatory amino acid antagonists in pain management.
Pain is an important indicator of stress particularly after surgical operation. It is not only a physical and mental suffering but also a main factor for postoperative complications. Relieving of postoperative pain is perquisite for improving outcome and shortening hospital stay. ⋯ Therefore, methods to avoid the narcotic-associated side effects are still being searched. Excitatory amino acid receptor antagonists, particularly the NMDA receptor, have been demonstrated to produce satisfactory analgesic effect under certain conditions. This article is an introductory overview of some possible applications of the excitatory amino acid receptor antagonists in future clinical pain management.