A Review of Drugs used to Treat Renal Colic Pain in Articles Published in Persian; a Narrative Review Study

Renal colic is the most common clinical manifestation of urinary stones and one of the most common urological emergencies that is very agonizing for the patient due to excruciating pain. Different therapeutic interventions are performed for relieving the pain in patients with renal colic. This narrative review study was performed, aiming to evaluate the medications used for pain management in patients with renal colic.

The present study is a narrative review. In this study, to find related articles, researchers conducted a computer search in SID, Magiran, and Google Scholar databases using Persian keywords meaning renal colic and kidney colic. Studies were searched in Persian language databases without any time limit.

In reviewing the articles, various studies were performed on different drugs for controlling pain in patients with renal colic. Most of the studied drugs were opioids (morphine, buprenorphine, tramadol, and pethidine) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (paracetamol, diclofenac, and ketorolac). Additionally, drugs such as ketamine, desmopressin, aminophylline, and intradermal administration of distilled water were also evaluated.

Although narcotics are most effect for relieving pain in patients with renal colic, but the development of side effects such as inhibition of the respiratory center in the medulla and activation of the vomiting center (chemoreceptor trigger zone; CTZ) has limited the use of narcotics. Due to having analgesic effects similar to opioids and fewer side effects, it is recommended to use NSAIDs (Ketorolac) as the first line of treatment for renal colic patients.