Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Antispastic And Spasmolytic Agents

Skeletal muscle relaxants are a diverse group of medications that reduce muscle tone through various mechanisms.  They are used to relieve pain and spasms in acute muscular conditions (eg, strain, injury) and to manage spasticity associated with neurologic disorders (eg, cerebral palsy).

The main indications for skeletal muscle relaxants include spasticity and acute musculoskeletal pain:

• Spasticity is a motor disorder marked by increased muscle tone and exaggerated reflexes, which lead to rigidity, spasms, clonus, contractures, and jerky, uncontrolled movements.  It results from impaired regulation of motor signals due to CNS damage and is commonly seen in conditions such as cerebral palsy, stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and multiple sclerosis.  Long-term management includes antispastic agents such as baclofen (most common), tizanidine, dantrolene, and diazepam.