Table 3.

Commonly used agents and mechanisms of action for the treatment of PN [64], [65], [66], [67].

Drug class	Agents	Dosing	Adverse events	Comments
Topical
	Capsacin			No clinical trials evidence to support its use
	Lidocaine (5% patch)	3 patches per day	Rash or erythema	No clinical trials evidence to support its use
Tricyclics
	Amytriptyline	10–25 mg every night	Cardiovascular disease (needs screening for QTc prolongation), anticholinergic effects, interact with drugs metabolized by cytochrome P450 2D6 (e.g., cimetidine, phenothiazine)	Avoid with LZD given possible serotonin syndrome; No clinical trials evidence to support its use
Anticonvulsants
	Carbamazepine	100–200 mg twice per day	Skin rashes	No clinical trials evidence to support its use
SSRIs
	Duloxetine	60–120 mg per day	Serotonin syndrome, weight gain	Clinical trials from oncology support its use; Avoid with LZD given possible serotonin syndrome
GABA-eric
	Gabapentin	100–300 mg every night or 100–300 mg three times daily	Somnolence, dizziness, GI symptoms, mild edema, cognitive impairment (elderly), exacerbation of gait problems	Clinical trials support its use at doses of 1800–3600 mg per day.
	Pregabalin	25–50 mg 3 times per day	Dizziness, somnolence, xerostomia, edema, blurred vision, decreased concentration	Limited clinical trials evidence to support its use