Water For Health

Cymbalta (duloxetine) is a representative of the newest generation of antidepressants. By mechanism of action, Cymbalta is a balanced and strong inhibitor of the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine. Simbalta virtually has no effect on the blockade of dopamine reuptake and does not interact with cholinergic and histaminergic receptors.

Undoubtedly, in neurology depression plays a major role and occurs in a variety of diseases. Depression that accompanies somatic or neurological diseases, worsens the quality of life of patients and is more difficult to treat. Furthermore, depression can significantly modify the conditions of the underlying disease, and the use of antidepressants somewhat clears its clinical picture.

Stroke patients with depression increases the risk of disability and mortality. Patients with chronic neurological diseases in general are more prone to depression than patients with somatic pathology.

Cymbalta as a drug with proven fast effect and possible combination with other drugs used in neurological practice, is extensively used. It is important to emphasize Cymbalta’s strong therapeutic effect on pain syndromes associated with depression, which was shown in a large number of clinical studies. Many of them tested the dynamics of the intensity of pain by a visual analog scale (VAS) and by a questionnaire of somatic symptoms (Somatic Symptom Inventory – SSI). Cymbalta demonstrated high efficiency in relation to pain on both scales. For example, the intensity of pain in the back under the influence of Cymbalta significantly decreased in the first week of treatment and significantly regressed in the 2nd-3rd week of therapy. After the treatment, intensity of pain syndromes has decreased, with the exception of headache. The analgesic effect did not depend on reducing emotional disorders and on 50% was a direct effect of Cymbalta.

Cymbalta proved to be remarkably effective in neuropathic pain. The mechanism of this phenomenon is not clear till the end yet but it is assumed that the analgesic effect of the drug is associated with increased activity of antinociceptive (analgesic) systems, resulting in a diminished perception of pain.

To date, two studies on the analgesic effectiveness of Cymbalta in diabetic neuropathy have been completed. The studies took 12 weeks during which Cymbalta was given to patients in the dose of 60 mg / day. Compared with placebo, while taking Cymbalta pain regressed significantly, with improvement observed in the first week of treatment and persisted throughout the period of therapy. With that, there was no significant differences between Cymbalta and placebo by indices of glucose metabolism.

Thus, Cymbalta is a new highly efficient and quite safe antidepressant, which will undoubtedly take an important place in neurological practice, having not only the antidepressant but analgetic activity, especially in a situation of a hard to cure neuropathic pain.