This study aimed to address the research gaps by analyzing the prescribing patterns of gabapentin and pregabalin at a tertiary care hospital in Nepal. Off-label gabapentin (Neurontin) got a bad rep when it missed the mark in bipolar disorder, but there may be something worth salvaging in this drug. Here, we weigh its pros and cons for anxiety, substance use disorders, sleep, pain, and hot flashes, and compare it to its underutilized cousin, pregabalin (Lyrica). Here is a list of some of the common off-label uses: Anxiety Disorders: Gabapentin is sometimes used to manage generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and social anxiety, especially in patients who don’t respond well to traditional anti-anxiety medications. Gabapentin is widely used in the United States for a number of off-label indications, often as an alternative to opioid therapy. Increasing evidence has emerged suggesting that gabapentin may not be as benign as once thought and may be associated with substance abuse in concert with opioids. With co Gabapentin is widely prescribed off label in medical practice, including psychiatry. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned of risks associated with gabapentin combined with central nervous system depressant (CNS-D) drugs, which are commonly prescribed in psychiatric treatment. This study examined off-label outpatient gabapentin use for psychiatric indications and concomitant CNS-D Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant (antiseizure) medication approved by the FDA to treat several conditions. Doctors sometimes prescribe gabapentin "off-label" to treat other conditions as well. A 2022 report stated that gabapentin was among the 10 most commonly prescribed medications in the U.S. What is gabapentin and what is it used for? Gabapentin is used to control seizures, to treat nerve In addition to being used to treat pain, gabapentin is used off label to treat anxiety, alcohol use disorder (AUD), alcohol withdrawal, depression, substance use disorders (SUDs), sleep problems, and more. Observations: This report summarizes the limited published evidence to support off-label gabapentinoid uses, describes clinical cases in which off-label use is problematic, and notes how review articles and guidelines tend to overstate gabapentinoid effectiveness. In addition to medicines with FDA indications for anxiety, such as benzodiazepines and some antidepressants, a number of drugs are frequently prescribed off-label. Among these are gabapentin and the related compound pregabalin, collectively known as gabapentinoids. Gabapentin is widely used in the United States for a number of off-label indications, often as an alternative to opioid therapy. Increasing evidence has emerged suggesting that gabapentin may not be as benign as once thought and may be associated with substance abuse in concert with opioids. “Gabapentin is widely used in the United States for a number of off-label indications, often as an alternative to opioid therapy. Increasing evidence has emerged suggesting that gabapentin may not be as benign as once thought and may be associated with substance abuse in concert with opioids There is minimal or no evidence for the use of gabapentin as an off-label therapy for other types of neuropathic pain, low-back pain, radiculopathy, or fibromyalgia. In many cases, the drugs may be prescribed off label for chronic pain conditions, for which "minimal evidence supporting use" exists, the researchers said. Researchers analyzed data from the Despite these limited indications, gabapentin and pregabalin are widely prescribed off-label for various other pain syndromes. Such use is growing, possibly because clinicians are searching increasingly for alternatives to opioids. In today’s video, we explore the off-label uses of Gabapentin, also known as Neurontin. While Gabapentin is FDA-approved for partial seizures and postherpetic neuralgia, its off-label uses are more extensive, especially in psychiatry. Gabapentin is a drug that was approved by the FDA in 1993 as an adjunct treatment for epileptic seizures. It has since attained approval for the treatment of partial seizures in adults and children. In addition to its mechanism as an antiepileptic drug, Gabapentin functions as an analgesic, and was approved in 2004 for the treatment of neuropathic pain. Despite its approved uses as an Abstract Objective: The objective of the study was to explore the experiences of physicians prescribing gabapentin off label. Methods: We used a case study approach to explore the experiences of physicians prescribing gabapentin for off-label indications. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 physicians (psychiatry, pain and neurology specialists) in the Greater Toronto Area. Data Various off-label (unapproved) uses have been reported, and the use of gabapentin for off-label purposes has reportedly exceeded use for FDA-approved indications. Pharmaceutical marketing practices and physician dissat-isfaction with currently available pharmacological treatment options may be key factors that contribute to this prescribing trend. In this nationally representative sample, <1% of outpatient gabapentin use was for approved indications. High concomitant use of CNS-D drugs and off-label gabapentin for psychiatric diagnoses underlines the need for improved communication about safety. Despite limited indications, gabapentin and its cousin, pregabalin (Lyrica), are widely prescribed off-label for various other pain syndromes.
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