Pregabalin: uses and side effects of this drug

A drug with various medical and psychiatric applications: treating everything from GAD to epilepsy.

There are some drugs that are used for quite diverse disorders or pathologies. This is the case of pregabalin, an antiepileptic and analgesic drug, indicated for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).It is indicated for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), neuropathic pain and seizures typical of epilepsy.

In this article we will learn about its mechanism of action, how it is administered in each case, its side effects and contraindications.

Pregabalin: what is it?

Pregabalin is an antiepileptic and analgesic drug, which is mainly used for peripheral and central neuropathic pain in adults, as add-on therapy in partial seizures with or without generalization in adults and for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

Its active ingredient is a γ-aminobutyric acid (GAB)A analog, i.e. it is a drug analog of GABA (the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system), like its predecessor gabapentin.

This drug is administered orally, and can be taken with or without food. The contraindication for taking pregabalin is a hypersensitivity to pregabalin itself.

As for its dosage, the dosage range is 150 to 600 mg per day, dividing its administration into two or three doses. To do so, it is always necessary to follow the instructions always follow the instructions of the medical personnel who prescribed this drug. who prescribed this drug.

Pregabalin should not be used in children and adolescents under the age of 18 years.because its safety and efficacy in these groups have not yet been established.

Indications

Pregabalin belongs to a group of drugs that are mainly used for the treatment of epilepsy, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in adults and neuropathic pain.

1. Epilepsy

Pregabalin is used to treat certain types of epilepsy, namely partial seizures with or without secondary with or without secondary generalization, in adults. Pregabalin requires a prescription from a physician.

It is prescribed for cases of epilepsy when current treatment is not controlling the disease. Pregabalin is usually taken in addition to current treatment.

It should not be administered alone, but should always be used in combination with other antiepileptic treatments.

2. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

In this case, pregabalin is prescribed for for symptoms of excessive and prolonged anxiety and worry, which are symptoms of GAD, which are difficult to control.

In addition, GAD can also cause restlessness or a feeling of excitement or nervousness, a feeling of fatigue and easy tiredness, as well as difficulty concentrating or blankness of the mind, irritability, Muscle tension or sleep disturbances. Pregabalin also acts on these symptoms.

However, we must be clear that these symptoms are slightly different from stress stress itself, and/or the stresses of everyday life.

3. Neuropathic pain

Pregabalin is also used to treat neuropathic pain (peripheral and central). Neuropathic pain is produced by a damage or alteration in the structures of the nervous system.. Therefore, this pain can be produced by damage to the peripheral nerves (peripheral neuropathic pain) or by damage to the spinal cord or brain (central neuropathic pain).

Neuropathic pain is caused by an abnormal functioning of the nervous system, which interprets stimuli erroneously. It affects 7-10% of the European population.

Side effects

Pregabalin, like all drugs, also has a number of adverse effects that may occur when it is taken (although they do not always occur). The most frequent side effects (which may affect more than 1 person out of 10) are dizziness, drowsiness and headache..

Other slightly less frequent adverse effects (affecting more than 1 person in 100) are:

• Increased appetite.
• Feeling of euphoria, confusion, disorientation, decreased sexual appetite, irritability.
• Attention disturbance, clumsiness of movement, memory impairment, memory loss, tremors, slurred speech, tingling sensation, numbness, sedation, lethargy, insomnia, fatigue, abnormal sensation.
• Blurred vision, double vision.
• Dizziness, balance problems, falls.
• Dry mouth, constipation, vomiting, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, swollen abdomen.
• Difficulty in erection.
• Swelling of the body including extremities.
• Feeling of drunkenness, gait disturbance.
• Weight gain.
• Muscle cramps, joint pain, back pain, pain in the extremities.
• Sore throat.