A rational approach to opioid dose reduction in the treatment of bone pain. Clinical discussion

Abstract

Narcotic drugs have become more available for use, but it is obvious that monotherapy of pain syndrome with narcotic drugs is not always effective. Patients sometimes change prescribed opiates to NSAIDs on their own, because it is more effective despite the high risk of complications. In this case patient has a grade 2 pain syndrome associated with bone metastases despite taking the maximum daily dose of tramadol complicated by nausea. Treatment was successfully changed with medium doses of tramadol and dexketoprophen. We consider the combination of narcotic drugs and NSAIDs as opiate-sparing and suggest that dexketoprophen is effective for treatment of pain associated with bone metastases because of the effect on neuropathiс and central components of pain syndrome. We have analyzed the main mechanisms and options for systemic pharmacotherapy of pain syndrome in bone metastases. Some NSAIDs are known to have central analgesic effects. For example, the analgesic effect of ketorolac after an injury of sciatic nerve is explained by its ability to inhibit the synthesis of algogenic peptides in the posterior horns of the spinal cord and the decrease in astrocyte activation. However, it is the dexketoprofen/tramadol combination that is recognized as the most effective in the world.