earticle

영어

The prevalence of chronic pain patients is steadily increasing every year due to the aging population and the increase of various chronic diseases. According to the study on the “condition of the elderly population” published in 2008, about 82% of the 65-year-old population complained of pain, and it is known that 93% of the elderly suffer from pain diseases in their daily life. Various drugs used for pain control include acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids, antidepressants, and opioids. The use and necessity of opioid analgesics are gradually increasing worldwide, and the side effects are also growing yearly. Therefore, efforts are being made to reduce opioid analgesics, and research for developing new drugs is being conducted steadily. Antidepressants are known to be effective in neuropathic pain. This article discusses the primary mechanism of neuropathic pain, effective drug treatment, essential characteristics of tianeptine sodium among antidepressants, and reported clinical effects.