This guideline, developed in partnership with the Royal College of Physicians, is aimed at health care professionals, commissioners, and providers of services; people with chronic primary or secondary pain; and the families of chronic pain patients.
More studies about antidepressants as chronic pain therapy are needed because current drug treatments are ineffective and pose a high risk for serious harm.
In recent years, the off-label prescription of antidepressants for the treatment of chronic pain has increased, along with evidence of their effectiveness and mechanistic underpinnings when used for this purpose. Depression is a common comorbidity among patients with chronic pain, and the use of these agents may alleviate symptoms of both disorders. Typically, however, significantly…
Individuals taking certain prophylactic migraine treatments were found to be at increased risk for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events.
Compared to placebo, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were associated with a significantly higher risk of headache (risk ratio [RR] 1.06, 95% CI: 1.00 to 1.13; P =.045).
Substantial evidence suggests a close connection between neuropathic pain and mood disorders.
Analgesics may be more effective in alleviating pain associated with postherpetic neuralgia compared with topical therapies, antivirals, antidepressants, and antiepileptics.
Depression, anxiety, and perceived stress scores were all positively correlated with increasing chest pain frequency, and the relationship was significant for depression.
No conclusive evidence was found supporting the efficacy of antidepressants in the pediatric population.
There is no association between intellectual disability and maternal use of antidepressants during pregnancy.
