Fibromyalgia, a vision from the primary care

Abstract

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder defined by widespread pain, frequently accompanied by fatigue and sleep disturbance, affecting up to one in 20 patients in the primary care. Although most of the patients with fibromyalgia are managed in the primary care, its diagnosis and treatment are still a challenge and the patients are often referred to the consultation of other specialists. The exhaustive research, the prescription of several drugs to treat the different symptoms, the diagnosis retardation, and the increase of disability, require deeper knowledge and a treatment led by the health professional of the primary care.    We reviewed the epidemiology, pathophysiology and management of fibromyalgia by searching PubMed,   Scielo, Hinari and Medline, and references from relevant articles published until the beginning of 2017, choosing them on the basis of quality, relevance to the illness and importance in illustrating current management pathways and the potential for future improvements. The implementation of a framework for diagnosis and chronic pain management in the primary care would reduce diagnostic time consumption, costly tests, and diagnostic delays, and will achieve better therapeutic outcomes in these patients. The patient-centred treatment from the primary care needs a multi disciplinary team highly trained in this disease. Although there are still several barriers for the application of a medical care system in fibromyalgia, It would allow a favourable change in the treatment of these patients