20. Neurologic Drugs and Opioids for Pain Management

Sheila A Doggrell

Discipline of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Queensland University of Technology, Gardens Point, GPO Box 2434, QLD 4001, Australia

Phone +61 7 38705741 Fax +61 7 31381534 Email sheila.doggrell@qut.edu.au

Key words: epilepsy, treatment of partial seizures, carbamazepine, phenytoin, valproate, vigabatrin, treatment of generalised seizures, barbiturates, phenobarbital, ethosuximide, treatment of status epilepticus, lorazepam, diazepam, Parkinson’s disease, treatment of Parkinson’s disease, l-dopa, carbidopa, amantadine, bromocriptine, cabergoline, selegilene, entacapone, benzotropine, Alzhemier’s disease, dementia, doneprezil, memantine, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (motor neurone disease), riluzole, baclofen, pain, opioid analgesics, morphine, fentanyl, codeine, buprenorphine, tramadol

Contents

20.1 Epilepsy and an introduction to drugs used to treat

20.1.1 Introduction to epilepsy

20.1.2 Treatment of partial seizures

20.1.3 Treatment of generalised seizures

20.1.4 Treatment of status epilepticus

20.2 Neurodegenerative disorders; principles of treatment

20.2.1 Introduction to neurodegenerative disorders

20.2.2 Parkinson’s disease

20.2.2.1 Introduction to Parkinson’s disease

20.2.2.2 Dopaminergic system

20.2.2.3 Treatment to enhance the dopaminergic system

20.2.2.4 Treatment to inhibit the cholinergic system

20.2.3 Dementia/Alzheimer’s disease

20.2.3.1 Introduction to Alzheimer’s disease

20.2.3.2 Treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

20.2.4 Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

43.4.1 Introduction

43.4.2 Treatment

20.3. Pain and opioid analgesics

20.3.1 Introduction to pain and analgesia

20.3.2 Introduction to opioids

20.3.3 Tolerance and physical dependence

20.3.4 Effects of opioids

20.3.5 Agonists at opioid µ receptors

20.3.6 Toxicity to opioids

This section deals with the neurologic drugs. The neurologic drugs are used to treat epilepsy and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. The opioids for pain management are also discussed in this section.