FDA Approves Top-Selling Antidepressant Medication To Treat Chronic Pain

http://www.canadapharmacyonline.com (I-Newswire) November 17, 2010 - One of the top-selling antidepressant medications in the US, Cymbalta, has just received additional FDA approval to treat chronic musculoskeletal pain such as low back pain and that caused by osteoarthritis. "Up to three-quarters of the population experience pain at some time in their lives," says the director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Dr. Janet Woodcock, "This approval means that many of those people now have another treatment option."

The FDA assessed the effectiveness of Cymbalta (duloxetine hydrochloride) in treating low back pain and osteoarthritis in four trials involving 600 patients. Those using Cymbalta experienced "significantly greater" pain relief than those given a placebo. The most common side effects were nausea, dry mouth, insomnia, drowsiness, fatigue, constipation and dizziness. Rare but serious side effects included allergic reactions such as swelling, hives and rashes; liver damage; pneumonia; depression or increased depression, and suicidal thoughts.

Cymbalta is a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor first approved by the FDA to treat major depressive disorder in 2004. It was later approved to treat diabetic neuropathy, generalized anxiety disorder and fibromyalgia. It has been referred to as the "Swiss army knife" of drugs. The approved dosage to treat chronic pain is one 60 milligrams capsule swallowed whole a day, with or without food. Cymbalta should not be taken by anyone with uncontrolled glaucoma, or who has recently taken the antipsychotic thioridazine or an MAOI antidepressant, and is not approved to treat patients under the age of 18.

Cymbalta already generates about $3½ billion in annual sales for its maker, pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Co. Annual sales are expected to rise by $500 million with the new approval, despite the fact that many doctors are already prescribing Cymbalta off-label to treat chronic pain. An estimated 27 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis, and 70 to 80% of Americans experience low back pain from time to time, with up to 10% of them developing chronic back pain. It's not known exactly how Cymbalta combats pain, but it's believed to enhance the body's natural pain suppression system by increasing the activity of serotonin and norepinephrine. The drug's patent expires in 2013, opening the door for other drug companies to market cheaper generic Cymbalta, which is already available in Canada.

Robert Anderson is specializing in writing articles on how to save on medication by buying from . For more information about the author and savings on Canadian drugs please visit http://www.canadapharmacyonline.com

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