[Antidepressants and anticonvulsive agents. Practical utility profile in pain therapy]

Antidepressants are used in the treatment of neuropathic pain syndromes, as prophylaxis for primary headache syndromes, and in the treatment of fibromyalgia. Anticonvulsants are suited for therapy of all neuropathic pain syndromes, and can be applied as the method of second choice for certain headache syndromes. All substances tested with good results are tricyclic antidepressants. Their psychotropic action profile should be taken into consideration when planning therapy. Their antidepressive effect does not coincide with the effect of pain reduction. Therapy should start with a slow increase of the dose and can be prolonged as monotherapy or in combination with other analgetics. Carbamazepine is used in the treatment of shooting neuralgic pain attacks, whereas gabapentin has become the agent of first choice in the therapy of permanent neuropathic pain. Other substances in this group should be reserved for extraordinary situations based on their license and side effect profile.