Duloxetine is a medication used to treat major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, fibromyalgia, and neuropathic pain. It is a serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor.
The main uses of duloxetine are in major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, neuropathic pain, chronic musculoskeletal pain, and fibromyalgia.
It is recommended as a first line agent for the treatment of chemotherapy induced neuropathy, as a first line therapy for fibromyalgia in the presence of mood disorders, as a Grade B recommendation for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy and as a level A recommendation in certain neuropathic states.
Duloxetine was approved for the treatment of major depression in 2004. It was approved for the pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), based on the positive results of two clinical trials. A review of duloxetine found that it reduced pain and fatigue, and improved physical and mental performance compared to placebo.
