Painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy. A stepwise approach to treatment.

The stepwise approach to the treatment of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy allows the practitioner to use a broad spectrum of therapeutic modalities and physiologic approaches to this complicated clinical problem. The authors review the etiology and clinical presentation of diabetic neuropathy. Available therapeutic alternatives are discussed and an original stepwise algorithm is presented. Pharmacologic profiles of the most commonly used drugs are also described.