olanzapine and nefazodone

Chronic pain is considered one of the most prevalent causes of costly and disabling medical conditions. This review will define chronic pain and its categories and then will summarize the effectiveness and side effects associated with the use of various antidepressants, including the tricyclics, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, the serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, other miscellaneous antidepressants and the atypical antipsychotics in the treatment of chronic pain.

Topics: Antidepressive Agents; Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; Antipsychotic Agents; Aripiprazole; Benzodiazepines; Bupropion; Chronic Pain; Humans; Mianserin; Mirtazapine; Olanzapine; Piperazines; Quetiapine Fumarate; Risperidone; Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; Serotonin and Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors; Thiazoles; Trazodone; Triazoles

Atypical antipsychotics (AAPs) have been hypothesized to be beneficial in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). This paper will review a biochemical rationale and will summarize the data regarding the effectiveness of AAPs in TRD.. Studies were identified using searches of Pubmed/Medline, EMBase and the Cochrane databases by cross-referencing the term 'depression' with each of the six AAPs.. After initial positive, short case reports and clinical trials, larger studies failed to show the effectiveness of AAPs combined with antidepressants for TRD. More recently, larger scale clinical trials have supported the effectiveness of at least some of these medications. While AAPs have gained in popularity for TRD, there are nagging concerns regarding risks such as metabolic syndrome and tardive dyskinesia.. The existing research provides some support for the beneficial effects of AAPs when combined with SSRI's in TRD. These medications pose significant risks that must be considered in their use.

Topics: Antidepressive Agents; Antipsychotic Agents; Aripiprazole; Benzodiazepines; Depressive Disorder, Major; Dibenzothiazepines; Dopamine D2 Receptor Antagonists; Drug Resistance; Drug Therapy, Combination; Fluoxetine; Humans; Olanzapine; Piperazines; Quetiapine Fumarate; Quinolones; Serotonin 5-HT2 Receptor Antagonists; Thiazoles; Trazodone; Triazoles