Medical management of pain in chronic pancreatitis

Trop Gastroenterol. 2014 Oct-Dec;35(4):205-11. doi: 10.7869/tg.218.

Abstract

Chronic pancreatitis is a common disorder caused by various etiological factors. It usually manifests with abdominal pain and exocrine (steatorrhea, malnutrition) or endocrine insufficiency (diabetes mellitus). Abdominal pain is the dominant symptom in these patients. Medical, endoscopic and surgical modalities are available for therapy. This review focuses on the pharmacological approaches to manage pancreatic pain. Before embarking on medical management of pain it is prudent to exclude complications like pancreatic cancer, pseudocysts, inflammatory mass, biliary or duodenal obstruction which may contribute to abdominal pain. Pharmacological measures for pain relief include central analgesics, enzyme supplements and antioxidants. Other measures include endoscopic and surgical therapy which are not discussed here. Appropriate management of exocrine and endocrine insufficiency and successful control of diabetes are also important in the management of chronic pancreatitis.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Abdominal Pain* / drug therapy
  • Abdominal Pain* / etiology
  • Analgesics / administration & dosage
  • Analgesics / therapeutic use
  • Antioxidants / administration & dosage
  • Antioxidants / therapeutic use
  • Enzyme Replacement Therapy
  • Humans
  • Pancreas / physiopathology*
  • Pancreatitis, Chronic* / complications
  • Pancreatitis, Chronic* / diagnosis
  • Pancreatitis, Chronic* / physiopathology
  • Pregabalin
  • Tramadol / administration & dosage
  • Tramadol / therapeutic use
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / administration & dosage
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / analogs & derivatives
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Analgesics
  • Antioxidants
  • Tramadol
  • Pregabalin
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid