Clinical applications of excitatory amino acid antagonists in pain management.

Abstract

Pain is an important indicator of stress particularly after surgical operation. It is not only a physical and mental suffering but also a main factor for postoperative complications. Relieving of postoperative pain is perquisite for improving outcome and shortening hospital stay. Opioids are still the mainstream for pain relief in common practice. However, opioids are also accompanied by many side effects which limit their usefulness. Therefore, methods to avoid the narcotic-associated side effects are still being searched. Excitatory amino acid receptor antagonists, particularly the NMDA receptor, have been demonstrated to produce satisfactory analgesic effect under certain conditions. This article is an introductory overview of some possible applications of the excitatory amino acid receptor antagonists in future clinical pain management.

• Authors: C S Wong, C H Cherng, S T Ho
• Journal: Acta anaesthesiologica Sinica (Acta Anaesthesiol Sin) Vol. 33 Issue 4 Pg. 227-32 (Dec 1995) ISSN: 0254-1319 [Print] China (Republic : 1949- )
• PMID: 8705156 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
• Excitatory Amino Acids
• Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
• Ketamine

Topics

• Analgesia
• Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists (therapeutic use)
• Excitatory Amino Acids (physiology)
• Humans
• Ketamine (therapeutic use)
• Pain (drug therapy)
• Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (physiology)