Articles: analgesics.
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As the incidence and survival rates of patients with cancer continues to grow, an increasing number of people are living with comorbidities, which often manifests as cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP). The majority of patients with CIBP report poor pain control from currently available analgesics. A conotoxin, Contulakin-G (CGX), has been demonstrated to be an antinociceptive agent in postsurgical and neuropathic pain states via a neurotensin receptor 2 (NTSR2)-mediated pathway. ⋯ Moreover, at antinociceptive doses, CGX had no impact on motor behavior in rodents with CIBP. Finally, RNAScope and immunoblotting analysis revealed expression of NTSR2 in both dorsal and ventral horns, while Cav2.3 was minimally expressed in the ventral horn, possibly explaining the sensory selectivity of CGX. Together, these findings support advancing CGX as a potential therapeutic for cancer pain.
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Pain is a common presenting symptom to consultant physicians, both in the hospital and in the clinic or rooms. Biologically, pain serves as warning of tissue damage. But this is no longer the case when pain is present for months or years, especially when it has been fully investigated. ⋯ The response to the so-called 'opioid epidemic' has led to a renewed focus on how chronic pain should be managed. The aim of this article is to update fellows and trainees on the assessment and management of chronic pain in adult medical patients. In particular, we address the role of pharmacotherapy post-opioid epidemic (primarily antidepressants and anticonvulsants in neuropathic pain), the place of interventional procedures and the nature and effectiveness of pain self-management training in people with chronic pain, many of whom have had pain for a year or more and failed other treatments.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Opioid sparing anesthesia in patients with liver cirrhosis undergoing liver resection: a controlled randomized double-blind study.
Opioid metabolism and pharmacodynamics may be affected in hepatic patients. Ketamine and dexmedetomidine are conventional anesthetics used in our daily practice. The opioid-sparing effects of this combination have not been evaluated in patients with liver cirrhosis undergoing liver resection. We aimed to investigate the potential peri-operative opioid-sparing effects of intra-operative dexmedetomidine and ketamine infusions in patients with Child A liver cirrhosis undergoing liver resection. ⋯ Administering dexmedetomidine and ketamine infusions intra-operatively to patients with Child A liver cirrhosis undergoing liver resection resulted in notable opioid-sparing effects, with reductions of approximately 40% intra-operatively and 55% postoperatively. The opioid-sparing group exhibited improved postoperative outcomes, including reduced pain, decreased incidence of opioid-related side effects and shorter ICU stays.
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Review
[Osteoarthritis: Degenerative changes or adaptive changes? Brief pain advice in primary care].
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease and is the most common joint problem worldwide. It is considered a serious disease due to the presence of pain and reduced functional capacity. Moreover, there are no disease-modifying drugs or curative treatment at present; the basic or first-line treatment is non-pharmacological, based on education and physical exercise. ⋯ In short, osteoarthritis is part of the normal aging process of the population. As with low back pain, it is proposed to apply a salutogenic model of health, paying special attention to the terms used when informing and advising patients. It is proposed a review of the main causes, effectiveness and prognosis of osteoarthritis treatment, in order to provide brief educational advice to patients.