2018 Volume 25 Issue 2 Pages 53-62
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disorder, and the main symptom is pain during movement and at rest. Standard pharmacotherapies, such as acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and opioids are effective in relieving pain in some patients with OA, but not in others. However, NSAIDs and opioids increase the risk of gastrointestinal and cardiovascular complications and the risk of drug abuse, respectively. Thus, the development of new pharmacological treatments for pain in patients with OA is needed. Nociceptive and neuropathic mechanisms at both peripheral and central levels play a role in OA pain. In recent years, molecular targets involved in the mechanisms of OA pain have been identified, and new drugs based on these mechanisms have been developed. This review focuses on new findings regarding the mechanisms of OA pain and the development of pharmacotherapies based on these mechanisms.
