Prolonged administration of NMDA antagonist and safener drug to alter neuropathic pain condition
First Claim
1. A method for treating chronic pain, comprising the steps of administering to a patient in need of such treatment:
- a. at least one NMDA receptor antagonist drug, at a sustained dosage which is able to substantially reduce the patient'"'"'s chronic pain, and over a continuous period of time, wherein that dosage level over that period of time has been shown in previous human treatments to provide long-lasting relief from chronic pain even after administration of the NMDA receptor antagonist drug has been discontinued; and
, b. at least one safener drug, at a concentration which has been shown, using in vivo animal tests, to reduce neurotoxic damage caused by potent NMDA receptor antagonist drugs in the absence of a safener drug.
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Abstract
A drug that inhibits NMDA receptors (such as ketamine, a surgical anesthetic) is continuously administered to patients suffering from neuropathic pain. Unless the NMDA antagonist drug has inherent safening activity, this treatment requires a “safener” drug to prevent the neurotoxic side effects of NMDA antagonists. One class of safener drugs that increase the efficacy of the treatment include alpha-2 adrenergic agonists, such as clonidine. The treatment lasts for several days and nights, continuously. A maximum tolerated dosage is titered for each patient, such as by observing slurring of speech, and the patient does not lose consciousness except during normal sleep. Magnesium and/or drugs that inhibit ketamine-degrading enzymes can also be used. Patients who suffered for years from chronic intractable pain emerged from this treatment with apparently permanent relief, or with lasting reductions in their levels of pain.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for treating chronic pain, comprising the steps of administering to a patient in need of such treatment:
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a. at least one NMDA receptor antagonist drug, at a sustained dosage which is able to substantially reduce the patient'"'"'s chronic pain, and over a continuous period of time, wherein that dosage level over that period of time has been shown in previous human treatments to provide long-lasting relief from chronic pain even after administration of the NMDA receptor antagonist drug has been discontinued; and
,b. at least one safener drug, at a concentration which has been shown, using in vivo animal tests, to reduce neurotoxic damage caused by potent NMDA receptor antagonist drugs in the absence of a safener drug. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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- 13. A method for treating chronic pain, comprising the step of intravenously injecting into a patient in need of such treatment at least one NMDA receptor antagonist drug, at a sustained dosage over a period of time wherein that dosage over that period of time will provide lasting relief from chronic or neuropathic pain even after administration of the NMDA receptor antagonist drug has been discontinued.
- 21. A composition of matter, comprising an injectable aqueous mixture of an NMDA receptor antagonist drug and an alpha-2 agonist drug, wherein each drug is present in the aqueous mixture at a concentration which is suited for intravenous infusion into a patient over a prolonged span of time in a dosage regimen capable of providing permanent relief from a neuropathic pain disorder.
- 25. An article of manufacture, comprising an injectable aqueous formulation containing at least one NMDA antagonist drug, enclosed within a package that maintains sterility of the aqueous formulation and that contains printed information stating that the NMDA antagonist drug is intended for sustained intravenous infusion for several days continuously, at a dosage which must be titrated individually for a specific patient who receives such treatment.
Specification