Tapentadol extended release in the management of peripheral diabetic neuropathic pain

Abstract

Nalini Vadivelu,1 Alice Kai,2 Benjamin Maslin,1 Gopal Kodumudi,3 Aron Legler,1 Jack M Berger4 1Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; 2Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY, USA; 3Department of Structural and Cellular Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA; 4Department of Anesthesiology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA Abstract: Tapentadol, a µ-opioid agonist and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, has been found to be an effective medication for a wide variety of chronic pain conditions, including back pain, cancer-related pain, and arthritic pain. It has also been found to have fewer gastrointestinal side effects than more traditional opioid-based therapies. More recently, tapentadol extended release has been demonstrated to be effective in the management of painful diabetic neuropathy, an often debilitating condition affecting approximately one-third of all patients with diabetes. This review highlights the most up-to-date basic and clinical studies by focusing on the mechanisms of action of tapentadol and its clinical efficacy, especially with regard to painful diabetic neuropathy. Keywords: chronic pain, neuropathic pain, pharmacology, analgesia, pain management