Neuropathic pain medication update-2015
Arun Aggarwal
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Australia
: Analg Resusc: Curr Res
Abstract
Neuropathic pain is under-recognized and under-treated. 25-50% patients referred to Pain clinics have neuropathic component to their pain. It has a complex pathophysiology with the precise mechanisms being unknown as it is likely that multiple mechanisms are involved. In a study in 2007 on the drugs generally prescribed by physicians for the management of neuropathic pain, the majority prescribed demonstrated no efficacy in neuropathic pain. There are a number of medications that have a role in the management of neuropathic, which provide only modest reduction of pain. Generally it is accepted that the management of neuropathic pain involves use of anti-convulsants and / or anti-depressant medication. Even with the current generation of drugs, effective analgesia is achieved in <50% of cases. Despite advances in research and clinical trials, numbers needed to treat for most drugs is between 3-5. This presentation will explore some new options that have recently become available for the treatment of this different to manage condition.
Biography
Arun Aggarwal, MBBS, FRACP, FAFRM (RACP), FAFPM (ANZCA), received his PhD in 2004 from the University of Sydney. He is currently working as a Visiting Neurologist at Concord Hospital, a Chronic Pain Specialist at the RPAH Pain Clinic and a Rehabilitation Specialist at Balmain Hospital. He is a member of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Australasian Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine and the Australasian Faculty of Pain Medicine. His research has included Electrophysiological Studies in Familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis with his primary paper, “Detection of pre-clinical motor neurone loss in SOD1 mutation carriers using motor unit number estimation” being widely cited in the international literature. He was awarded the Australian Association of Neurologists Young Investigator Award for his presentation of this paper in 1999 and was nominated for the Delsys Prize in 2012. He has written 3 book chapters on this subject and has also published widely on a number of different topics. He currently has a number of research projects in the areas of Chronic Pain and Parkinson’s disease. He is on the Editorial board of the Journal of Clinical Trials. He is the current Chairman of Australian & NZ Association of Neurologists Neuro-Rehabilitation SubCommittee and on the Medical Advisory Board of Trigeminal Neuralgia Association (Australia).
