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Treatment considerations for elderly and frail patients with neuropathic pain.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Schmader, KE; Baron, R; Haanpää, ML; Mayer, J; O'Connor, AB; Rice, ASC; Stacey, B
Published in: Mayo Clin Proc
March 2010

Currently, an estimated 38 million individuals 65 years or older live in the United States, and more than 11 million of these individuals are 80 years or older. Older people are at high risk of neuropathic pain because many diseases that cause neuropathic pain increase in incidence with age. Depending on their underlying health, older adults with neuropathic pain may have to cope with multiple coexisting diseases, polypharmacy, and impaired functional ability. The objective of this article is to review how aging and frailty affect the treatment of older adults with neuropathic pain. Specific topics reviewed include the complexity of treatment decisions in older patients due to aged heterogeneity, multimorbidity, and polypharmacy; selection of treatment in an effort to maximize patients' functional abilities in addition to relieving their pain; more careful dosing (usually lower) and monitoring of pharmacotherapy relative to younger patients due to age-related changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics; and underrepresentation of older adults in clinical trials of neuropathic pain treatments, which further compromises physicians' ability to make informed treatment decisions.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Mayo Clin Proc

DOI

EISSN

1942-5546

Publication Date

March 2010

Volume

85

Issue

3 Suppl

Start / End Page

S26 / S32

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Risk Factors
  • Polypharmacy
  • Patient Education as Topic
  • Neuralgia
  • Narcotics
  • Narcotic Antagonists
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Geriatric Assessment
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Schmader, K. E., Baron, R., Haanpää, M. L., Mayer, J., O’Connor, A. B., Rice, A. S. C., & Stacey, B. (2010). Treatment considerations for elderly and frail patients with neuropathic pain. Mayo Clin Proc, 85(3 Suppl), S26–S32. https://doi.org/10.4065/mcp.2009.0646
Schmader, Kenneth E., Ralf Baron, Maija L. Haanpää, John Mayer, Alec B. O’Connor, Andrew S. C. Rice, and Brett Stacey. “Treatment considerations for elderly and frail patients with neuropathic pain.Mayo Clin Proc 85, no. 3 Suppl (March 2010): S26–32. https://doi.org/10.4065/mcp.2009.0646.
Schmader KE, Baron R, Haanpää ML, Mayer J, O’Connor AB, Rice ASC, et al. Treatment considerations for elderly and frail patients with neuropathic pain. Mayo Clin Proc. 2010 Mar;85(3 Suppl):S26–32.
Schmader, Kenneth E., et al. “Treatment considerations for elderly and frail patients with neuropathic pain.Mayo Clin Proc, vol. 85, no. 3 Suppl, Mar. 2010, pp. S26–32. Pubmed, doi:10.4065/mcp.2009.0646.
Schmader KE, Baron R, Haanpää ML, Mayer J, O’Connor AB, Rice ASC, Stacey B. Treatment considerations for elderly and frail patients with neuropathic pain. Mayo Clin Proc. 2010 Mar;85(3 Suppl):S26–S32.
Journal cover image

Published In

Mayo Clin Proc

DOI

EISSN

1942-5546

Publication Date

March 2010

Volume

85

Issue

3 Suppl

Start / End Page

S26 / S32

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Risk Factors
  • Polypharmacy
  • Patient Education as Topic
  • Neuralgia
  • Narcotics
  • Narcotic Antagonists
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Geriatric Assessment