Neurol. praxi. 2014;15(3):151-154

Chronic low back pain and use of new opiod analgesic tapentadol

MUDr. Jan Lejčko

Centrum léčby bolesti, ARK, FN Plzeň

Chronic low back pain with radicular component may not be adequately managed with available therapeutic options. Multi-modal approach to chronic pain treatment is more effective than monotherapy. Treatment with strong opioids is justified if pain is intractable. Combination of opioids and gabapentinoids takes advantage of various mechanisms of action and is more efficient than monotherapy. However, pharmacological tolerability of these agents is individual to a considerable extent and thus may decrease appropriate utilization their dosage potential. Opioid tapentadol is the first compound of the new pharmacological class MOR-NRI, that combines μ-opioid- -agonist and noradrenalin re-uptake inhibitor activities in one molecule. The integration of these two inherent mechanisms of action in one agent creates assumption for promising analgesic efficacy with an improved tolerability profile. Tapentadol may be an interesting option for pharmacological treatment of low back pain with radicular component. Case report of patient suffering from chronic low back pain with sciatica demonstrates satisfactory pain control when treatment with tapentadol was initiated.

Keywords: back pain, neuropathic pain, opioids, tapentadol

Published: June 9, 2014  Show citation