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 170,190 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The etiology of pain in chronic pancreatitis may be ductal hypertension, increased parenchymal pressure, or neural damage. It is difficult to assess the severity of pain in this patient population, a problem made more challenging by the frequency of narcotic dependency. Therapeutic interventions developed to relieve the pain of chronic pancreatitis include denervation of the pancreas, decompression of the main duct of the pancreas, resection of part or all of the diseased pancreas, and reduction of pancreatic secretion. Operative intervention for patients with chronic pain is indicated when severe pain, complications of pain, or potential malignancy are present. The operations that consistently provide long-lasting pain relief all have in common resection of all or a portion of the head of the pancreas. Adverse effects on exocrine and endocrine function, nutrition, and quality of life are related to the amount of pancreas resected. The ideal procedure should be easy to perform, have a low morbidity and mortality rate, provide long-lasting pain relief, and not augment endocrine and exocrine insufficiency. No single operation fulfills this ideal. The local resection of the head of the pancreas combined with longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy (LR-LPJ) proposed by Frey and the duodenum-preserving resection of the head of the pancreas (DPHR) proposed by Beger are discussed. The conceptualization, development, and technique of LR-LPJ are discussed, and comparisons of patient outcomes are made with the outcomes of other procedures for chronic pancreatitis.
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PMID:Comparison of local resection of the head of the pancreas combined with longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy (frey procedure) and duodenum-preserving resection of the pancreatic head (beger procedure). 1453 21

Chronic pain is a debilitating problem for many Americans. It affects physical, social, and emotional health. This study addresses the potential differential effects of chronic pain cross-culturally in younger Americans. A retrospective analysis of persons younger than 50 years of age presenting for chronic pain management in a multidisciplinary pain center was done. White and black American adults aged 18 to 50 years (N = 3669) were compared to determine whether there were differences in (1) psychologic functioning, (2) pain characteristics, (3) pain disability, and (4) comorbidities. Our results suggest that black Americans had more depressive symptoms and symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder when compared to white Americans. These results showed that on initial assessment, black Americans with chronic pain report significantly more pain and sleep disturbance as well as more symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression than white Americans. They also experience a higher prevalence of self-identified comorbidities, including dizziness, chest pain, and high blood pressure. In conclusion, considerable diminution in the overall physical and emotional health of black Americans 18 to 50 years of age with chronic pain was noted. These data support the need for further study of the chronic pain experiences of racial and ethnicity minority persons.
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PMID:Race and chronic pain: A comparative study of young black and white Americans presenting for management. 1462 1

A 47-year-old woman was diagnosed with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, and was treated with intrathecal morphine for chronic pain via a slow-release subcutaneous pump. She accidentally received a 35-ml (510 mg) bolus injection of morphine by this route, which led to status epilepticus. She was treated with continuous intravenous naloxone infusion, and with medication to control hypertension and stop the seizure activity. The outcome was excellent, and the patient returned to her neurological baseline. This report describes the complications and the successful treatment of intrathecal morphine overdose. In order to prevent these serious errors, it is vital that only care providers who are proficient with these devices perform the refilling procedure.
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PMID:Successful treatment of intrathecal morphine overdose. 1465 57

Modulation of ion channel function has been a successful area for drug development, with ion channel modulating drugs being used in the therapeutic treatment of epilepsy, hypertension, diabetes and chronic pain. Most of the ion channel-modulating drugs that are currently on the market were developed without extensive knowledge of the molecular structure of ion channels, or an understanding of the full complexity of ion channel subtypes or knowledge of how ion channel expression is regulated during pathology. As new information on the roles that different ion channel subtypes play in pathophysiological processes becomes available, drugs will be designed to target specific ion channel subtypes via mechanisms that involve either direct channel block or modulation of ion channel functional expression. Using neuropathic pain as an example, this article reviews current knowledge of the structure and function of ion channels and current technology and future opportunities for the identification of novel drugs that are capable of modulating ion channel function.
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PMID:Strategies to identify ion channel modulators: current and novel approaches to target neuropathic pain. 1508 58

Mild to severe postthrombotic sequelae, including chronic pain, edema, and ulceration, arise in one third of patients short after deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Recurrent DVT is closely associated with the development of postthrombotic syndrome (PTS), whereas if the extent and location of DVT might be relevant remains unclear. Chronic venous hypertension and abnormal microvessel or lymphatic function also correlates with PTS. The diagnosis of PTS is based on clinical grounds only if patients report a history of documented DVT; otherwise, objective testing is required. To abate the prevalence of PTS, the best policy is represented by prevention of recurrent thrombosis and use of stockings. Despite a plenty of surgical options, conservative treatment is preferable because half of the patients improve or remain stable during follow-up, provided they wear elastic stockings. Clinical presentation has a prognostic value, as patients with initially severe symptoms enjoy a more favorable outcome than those who progressively deteriorate over time.
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PMID:Postthrombotic syndrome: incidence, prevention, and management. 1519 16

The primary purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between cardiovascular (CV) responsiveness to brief cognitive tasks and pain sensitivity in normotensive individuals. Fifty-eight healthy women without a history of chronic pain were exposed to three laboratory tasks (reading aloud, speech task, and tracking task) and repeated pain testing (electrocutaneous and pressure pain stimulation) while mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were continuously recorded. Generally, subjects with higher HR responsiveness to the cognitive tasks displayed a reduced pain sensitivity, particularly to electrocutaneous pain stimulation. Moreover, the two types of pain stimulation seemed to trigger somewhat different CV response patterns. Inclusion of pain-related CV changes as control variables affected the relationship between HR responsiveness and pain sensitivity, although differently for electrocutaneous and pressure pain. However, inclusion of psychological control variables had no significant effects. Although relatively large CV changes were observed during the experimental tasks, small and insignificant changes in simultaneous or subsequent electrocutaneous pain sensitivity occurred. However, significant increases in pressure pain threshold and tolerance occurred after the speech task, during which MAP level was at its highest. The present findings support the hypothesis that pain sensitivity and CV response share a common mechanism, which, however, is not necessarily linked to either elevated blood pressure levels or other risk factors for hypertension.
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PMID:Cardiovascular responsiveness to brief cognitive challenges and pain sensitivity in women. 1520 12

Since the concept of Pharmaceutical Care was introduced from United States about twenty years ago, this initiative has become a dominant form of practice for thousands of pharmacists around the world. Currently, pharmaceutical care is understood as the pharmacists' compromise to obtain the maximum benefit from the pharmacological treatments of the patients, being therefore responsible of monitoring their pharmacotherapy. As the profession has moved from a product orientation (dispensing medications) to a patient focus, clinical training requirements have expanded. This is a slow but ongoing process, which started from a philosophical point of view, in order to transform the concept of Pharmacy from commodity-based, mercantile operations into a clinical profession in the community pharmacies. Since its introduction, there has been an ample debate on the definition of pharmaceutical care due to differences in Pharmacy systems and in health care structure among the different countries. Moreover, several implementation barriers exist, which are attributable to problems in education, skills, resources and environment. Indeed, an awareness of the problem resulting from the use of medicines exists and numerous studies reflect that drug use control is necessary since there is an important relationship between morbidity / mortality and pharmacotherapy. Thus, it is possible to evaluate the benefits of pharmaceutical care on patients' health and ultimately on society. Many studies have been conducted, which show that the provision of pharmaceutical care has its value in common pathologies such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, hyperlipidemia, chronic pain, rheumatic diseases or psychiatric disorders, as well as in polymedicated patients. A large amount of data is currently being published in biomedical journals, in an effort to establish the clinical, economic and humanistic viability of pharmaceutical care. Thus, the aim of this review is to study the evolution of this practice from its beginning until nowadays. Furthermore, we have analyzed a number of implementation programs performed in countries of Europe, the United States and Latin America, focusing on clinical, economical and humanistic outcomes, and also, on the current concept of drug therapy problems (DTP) considered as failures in drug therapy. We conclude that the positive outcomes obtained with different programs of pharmaceutical care are making a beneficial change in patients' health but still more research projects should be conducted to support this change.
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PMID:Pharmaceutical care: past, present and future. 1557 81

Chronic pain in the elderly is frequently a result of arthritic disorders, particularly osteoarthritis. The cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors are as effective as standard NSAIDs for the relief of pain and for improving function in elderly patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. COX-2 inhibitors increase the risk of serious gastroduodenal adverse reactions but there is evidence that they carry a lower risk for these adverse effects than standard NSAIDs, except when there is concurrent aspirin use. Since gastroduodenal disorders are the most frequently reported serious adverse effects of NSAIDs and these disorders occur more frequently in the elderly, COX-2 inhibitors offer an alternative to standard NSAIDs in this age group. However, they are not appropriate for many patients with cardiovascular and renal disease. The adverse reaction profile of the COX-2 inhibitors has confirmed the role of the COX-2 enzyme in renal function, salt and water homeostasis and the vascular endothelium. Thus, like standard NSAIDs, COX-2 inhibitors can cause renal failure, hypertension and exacerbation of cardiac failure. Of note is that these disorders are dose related. Thus, there are good reasons to avoid high doses of COX-2 inhibitors in the elderly. Clinical trials indicate that daily doses of rofecoxib 12.5 mg, celecoxib 100-200 mg, valdecoxib 10mg and etoricoxib 60 mg are the minimum effective doses of these agents. Data from the New Zealand Intensive Medicines Monitoring Programme indicate that celecoxib 200 mg/day and rofecoxib 25 mg/day are/were the most commonly prescribed doses and that 6% of patients had taken rofecoxib 50 mg/day for longer than recommended. Recent research indicates that COX-2 inhibitors have a thrombotic potential, especially in high doses and when use is prolonged, and this further limits the extent to which they can be used in the elderly. Important interactions with COX-2 inhibitors in the elderly include those with warfarin, which can result in loss of control of anticoagulation, and those with ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonists and diuretics, which can result in loss of control of blood pressure and cardiac failure and, in hypovolaemic conditions, renal failure. The clinical significance of an interaction between celecoxib and aspirin to reduce the antiplatelet effect of the latter drug is unknown. Preliminary information from spontaneous reporting systems indicates that there may be differences in the risk of cardiac failure and hypertension between standard NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors and between rofecoxib and celecoxib. More formal studies using equivalent doses are needed to test this observation. Use of COX-2 inhibitors may be considered in the elderly to reduce the risk of gastroduodenal complications associated with standard NSAIDs but only when consideration has first been given to use of less toxic medicines as alternatives or supplements, the appropriate dose of the COX-2 inhibitor or standard NSAID, the presence and possible impact of co-morbidities, and the implications of taking COX-2 inhibitors with any concomitant medications. Equally important is regular monitoring of the patient taking a COX-2 inhibitor for efficacy and adverse effects, and ensuring that the patient has a continuing need to keep taking the drug. Close attention also needs to be paid to intercurrent illnesses and new prescriptions that may reduce the safety of the COX-2 inhibitor. A standard NSAID plus a proton pump inhibitor may be equally effective as a COX-2 inhibitor in reducing the risk of gastroduodenal toxicity and if used the same prescribing advice applies. Current knowledge concerning the thrombotic potential of COX-2 inhibitors suggests that this combination, if tolerated, may be preferable to a COX-2 inhibitor, particularly where prolonged use is required. This knowledge also indicates that for patients with or at high risk of ischaemic heart disease or stroke, COX-2 inhibitors are contraindicated.
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PMID:Cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors: when should they be used in the elderly? 1581 52

Until relatively recently, depression has been considered a purely "mental" disorder and therefore in the natural domain of psychologists and psychiatrists. However, recent epidemiological studies have revealed that aging, physical and psychological stress, chronic pain, several metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance and established diabetes, alcoholism, inflammatory conditions, and vascular disorders such as arterial hypertension all may be associated with depression. The present review examines some of these depression-associated factors and the mechanisms by which they might give rise to vascular disorders such as atherosclerosis, microcirculation endothelial dysfunction, and interstitial disturbances leading to organ damage. A number of disorders involving the circulation can lead progressively and insidiously to large artery rigidity, remodeling of peripheral arteries, and alterations of the microcirculation of large blood vessels. Perturbations in vasa vasorum blood flow may contribute to atherogenesis, in addition to the influence of numerous cellular events involved in inflammation (tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 1 beta, etc). Since Hans Selye first described the neuroendocrine cascade generated by experimentally induced stress half a century ago, phenomena such as the axonal release of neurotransmitters (including serotonin), accumulation of metabolites such as homocysteine, platelet-activating factor, and nitric oxide also have been implicated in the pathogenesis of depression. Moreover, vascular consequences of depression such as heart rate and pulse pressure variations may lead to endothelial dysfunction in critical microcirculation networks (cerebral, myocardial, and renal) and initiate physicochemical alterations in interstitial compartments adjacent to vital organs. The appropriate use of ambulatory monitoring of vascular parameters, such as heart rate and pulse pressure, and eventually, early identification of genetic and metabolic markers may prove helpful in the early detection of events preceding and predicting the clinical manifestations of depression.
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PMID:Depression and cardiovascular disease: a reciprocal relationship. 1587 13

The class of serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) now comprises three medications: venlafaxine, milnacipran, and duloxetine. These drugs block the reuptake of both serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine with differing selectivity. Whereas milnacipran blocks 5-HT and norepinephrine reuptake with equal affinity, duloxetine has a 10-fold selectivity for 5-HT and venlafaxine a 30-fold selectivity for 5-HT. All three SNRIs are efficacious in treating a variety of anxiety disorders. There is no evidence for major differences between SNRIs and SSRIs in their efficacy in treating anxiety disorders. In contrast to SSRIs, which are generally ineffective in treating chronic pain, all three SNRIs seem to be helpful in relieving chronic pain associated with and independent of depression. Tolerability of an SNRI at therapeutic doses varies within the class. Although no direct comparative data are available, venlafaxine seems to be the least well-tolerated, combining serotonergic adverse effects (nausea, sexual dysfunction, withdrawal problems) with a dose-dependent cardiovascular phenomenon, principally hypertension. Duloxetine and milnacipran appear better tolerated and essentially devoid of cardiovascular toxicity.
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PMID:SNRIs: their pharmacology, clinical efficacy, and tolerability in comparison with other classes of antidepressants. 1614 13


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