The recent FDA-approval of a new drug designed as a first-line therapy for neuropathic, or nerve, pain has given hope to thousands of gulf patients who suffer from this debilitating and often underdiagnosed condition.
Industry sources say the drug, Lyrica (pregabalin), could be available in the GCC countries as early as September of this year, with the diabetic communities in the gulf being one of the first groups to benefit from the new treatment option.
Diabetic nerve pain results from nerve damage which occurs when blood sugar levels are too high. Damaged nerves become over-excited and send too many signals throughout the body; these signals being fired cause the diabetic pain sufferer to feel sharp or burning feelings.
Dr. George Petroianu, Professor of Pharmacology and Pain Management –Faculty of Medicine, UAE University in Al Ain said: “One in four GCC national’s is diabetic, and most diabetics suffer from nerve damage at some point in their lives, so treating diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), or diabetic nerve pain, is a large part of my job. The availability of Lyrica in the GCC countries will enable physicians like me to treat DPN safely and effectively, and with no serious side effects.”
The drug works by attaching to part of the over-firing nerve cells, reducing the pain signals that cause the symptoms of diabetic nerve pain.
Doctors are quick to point out that nerve pain is different from other types of pain, particularly muscle pain.
“Nerve pain is not like muscle pain where patients feel sore, achy, or throbbing pain that subsides after a few weeks of treatment. Nerve pain is chronic and it is extremely painful, keeping patients up at night and preventing them from carrying out simple daily tasks,” added Dr. Petroianu.
Lyrica can be taken along with other oral pain therapies such as Celebrex for the treatment of muscle pain, but no common pain management medicines available in the Gulf have been clinically proven to treat nerve pain with the same degree of safety and efficacy as Lyrica .
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