Skeletal muscle relaxant that acts by interfering with excitation-contraction coupling
in the muscle fiber. It is used in spasticity and other neuromuscular abnormalities.
Although the mechanism of action is probably not central,
dantrolene is usually grouped with the central muscle relaxants.
Muscle Spasticity
A form of muscle hypertonia associated with upper motor neuron disease. Resistance to passive
stretch of a spastic muscle results in minimal initial resistance (a "free interval")
followed by an incremental increase in muscle tone. Tone increases in proportion to the
velocity of stretch. Spasticity is usually
accompanied by hyperreflexia and variable degrees of muscle weakness.
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Articles]
Pharmacologic Action
Central Muscle Relaxant
A heterogeneous group of drugs used to produce muscle relaxation,
excepting the neuromuscular blocking agents. They have their primary clinical
and therapeutic uses in the treatment of muscle spasm and immobility associated
with strains, sprains, and injuries of the back and, to a lesser degree, injuries
to the neck. They have been used also for the treatment of a variety of clinical
conditions that have in common only the presence of skeletal muscle hyperactivity,
for example, the muscle spasms that can occur in multiple sclerosis.
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19 Jul 2008
Treatments for spasticity and pain in multiple sclerosis: a systematic review
There is limited evidence of the effectiveness of four oral drugs for spasticity:
baclofen, dantrolene, diazepam and tizanidine. Tizanidine appears to be no more
effective than comparator
drugs such as baclofen and has a slightly different side-effects profile.
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Orally administered drugs in the treatment of spasticity
Spasticity is a common problem in paediatric neurology and its management constitutes
a real professional challenge. There are numerous therapeutic options available and
their advantages and disadvantages should be carefully weighed up for each individual
patient. It is true that we do not have one single final option, but experience and
knowledge of the therapeutic possibilities favour the functional improvement of patients
suffering from spasticity. In this paper, we analyse the different
drugs available for oral administration in the treatment of spasticity.
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