Pregabalin: Uses, Interactions, Mechanism Of Action
Pregabalin is an anticonvulsant that's used to treat neuropathic pains , epilepsy, and generalised anxiety disorders. It falls under the family of drugs known as gabapentinoids. It has received much attention for the medical fraternity since it is effective in treating nerve pain and other nervous disorders.
USES
Neuropathic Pain: The most common application of pregabalin is to manage neuropathic pain that stems from disorders like diabetes, shingles, or a spinal cord injury as well as fibromyalgia. They diminish the pain that arises due to injured nerves by normalising nerve function and inhibiting undesirable pain signals.
Epilepsy: Pregabalin is an anticonvulsant drug usually used as an adjunct therapy in adults with partial seizures who could not control it with other medications. It does not cure epilepsy, but it assists in reducing the number of seizures by altering abnormally fast activity in the brain.
Fibromyalgia: Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome that is related to pain affecting all the tissues that make up muscles, ligaments, and tendons throughout the body. Pregabalin also intervenes to alleviate nerve hypersensitivity which results in discomfort.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): This medicine is also useful in the treatment of GAD that affects adults. It alters the release of neurotransmitters and normalises the activity in the brain and core areas that are responsible for controlling worry, tension, and irritability.
Mechanism Of Action
Pregabalin is an anticonvulsant that interacts with specific alpha2-delta subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels in the CNS. By interacting with these channels, pregabalin helps to decrease the release of some neurotransmission mediators including glutamate and noradrenaline – all involved in pain transmission within the nervous system. It does this by subsequently bringing about a reduction of the sensitivity of nerve cells, which in turn minimises the patients’ pain and other symptoms like neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia.
Interaction
CNS Depressants: Pregabalin may also act with other drugs that cause central nervous system depression such as alcohol, opioids, baclofen, benzodiazepines, etc. These combinations can cause greater levels of tiredness, dizziness, and a heightened chance of respiratory depression.
ACE Inhibitors: Pregabalin also interacts with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, which are used to cure hypertension. Use of these drugs in combination may raise the risk of severe allergic reaction known as angioedema which causes swelling in the face.
Diabetes Medications: This drug may affect one's ability to lose weight and manage blood sugar levels if you are taking diabetes drugs. Those diabetic patients who use pregabalin may experience changes in their diabetes treatment regimen, especially those taking insulin.
Other Antiepileptic Drugs: It is taken in combination with other AEDs for the purpose of controlling seizures. Although there seems to be a low risk of drug interactions with AEDs, physicians are advised to closely monitor its side effects with special emphasis to the effects on the central nervous system, including dizziness and confusion associated with its use.
Pro & Con
Inflammation of the eyes and severe skin reactions are among side effects of pregabalin; frequent tablets side effects are dizziness, dryness of the mouth, and blurred vision, as well as weight increase. In rare circumstances, patients may report symptoms that should be categorised under more severe consequences, for example, swelling, breathe shortness, or, in general, anaphylaxis. Pregabalin should also not be taken for long term since it can cause dependency; especially to patients with a history of drug abuse.
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