Spasticity: revisiting the role and the individual value of several pharmacological treatments.

Though in the last few decades only a few new drugs have come available for the treatment of spasticity, new insights may revise the role and individual value of several pharmacological treatments. Diazepam, baclofen and tizanidine are the most prescribed drugs for the treatment of spasticity. Intrathecal baclofen and local infiltration of botulin toxin are added values in selective patients.

[Nociception and sensitisation].

In accordance with current views on pain, a distinction is made, on a physiological basis, among 'normal', or nociceptive pain, inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain. 'Normal', nociceptive pain is a reaction to possible or actual tissue damage. Inflammatory pain is a response to actual tissue damage, in which not only nociception occurs but the sensitivity of nocisensors changes through morphological transformation.

Educational needs of general practitioners in palliative care: outcome of a focus group study.

Background: The objective of this study was to identify the general practitioner's perception of educational needs in palliative care.

Method: A qualitative study with focus groups was performed.

Results: General practitioners estimate palliative care as an important and valuable part of primary care.