Drug Education: What is Gabapentin Used For?

The Many Uses of Gabapentin

Gabapentin, often sold under the brand name Neurontin, was approved by the United States’ Food and Drug Administration in the December of 1993. It was originally approved as an adjuvant, or a drug only meant to complement the effects of other anti-seizure drugs. (1)

Just a little more than a decade ago, in 2004, the FDA approved its use as a treatment for postherpetic neuralgia, or the pain felt by those who have and had shingles.

There have been claims that the drug can be used to treat various types of pain and lessen the effects of anxiety. Hence, many types of research were conducted on the drug by different organizations to test these claims.

What is Gabapentin Used For?

Gabapentin has been proven as an effective drug against epilepsy and seizures. However, it has been proven to have potential as a treatment for other ailments such as pain, migraine, anxiety, and more.

Below are the explanations of the most common uses of Gabapentin:

Anti-Seizure- Epilepsies or seizures are often caused by uncontrolled electrical impulses in the brain. Gabapentin works by regulating the rate at which electrical signal is sent from the brain. However, more researches are still needed to comprehend Gabapentin’s anti-seizure properties fully. (2)
Pain Relief– In 2010, the European Federation of Neurological Societies issued a guideline recommending Gabapentin as a treatment for diabetic neuropathy and postherpetic neuralgia. The guideline was based from evidence gathered from new researches on the drug. (3)
1. Diabetic Neuropathy- the European Federation of Neurological Societies issued a guideline way back in 2010 stating that Gabapentin can be used as a first-line treatment against this type of pain. Diabetic Neuropathy is a pain experienced by people afflicted with diabetes mellitus. Research showed that those who take the drug to relieve pain could feel a 38% decrease in pain.
2. Postherpetic Neuralgia- it was approved the same time as diabetic neuropathy. This is a type of pain felt by people with varicella zoster virus or a kind of herpes virus. A Cochrane review showed that individuals who took the drug felt a 34% reduction in pain when taking the drug.
Migraine- There have been claims that Gabapentin can be used to treat headache or various levels of migraines. However, the American Headache Society (AHS) and American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has issued a statement saying that there is insufficient evidence for such use. (4)
Anxiety- Gabapentin has been used as an off-label treatment of anxiety disorders. There have been researches that proved that it is indeed useful for treating anxiety. However, most of these researches were found to have faulty variables making their conclusions unreliable.
Hot flashes- A recent research on 600 women have shown that Gabapentin can reduce hot flashes among post menopausal women. The results were presented at the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) 23rd Annual Meeting in 2012. (5)
Restless Leg Syndrome- is an unpleasant sensation felt by patients which urge them to move their legs. The movement is said to help ease the pain which they feel.

Gabapentin was primarily created to help seizure or epileptic patients. Some other uses have been found for it, however, great caution must be exercised by anyone who wishes to use it for purposes not mentioned in its label. Always consult your doctor when taking new drugs.

Abusing or misusing any drug may result in adverse side effects which can be fatal in some instances. Always consult your doctor when taking new drugs.

References

“Gabapentin”. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Retrieved Oct 23, 2015.

Johannessen, SI; Ben-Menachem E (2006). “Management of focal-onset seizures: an update on drug treatment”. Drugs. 66 (13): 1701–25.

Attal N, Cruccu G, Baron R, et al. (September 2010). “EFNS guidelines on the pharmacological treatment of neuropathic pain: 2010 revision”. Eur. J. Neurol. 17 (9): 1113–e88.

Loder, Elizabeth; Burch, Rebecca; Rizzoli, Paul (June 2012). “The 2012 AHS/AAN Guidelines for Prevention of Episodic Migraine: A Summary and Comparison With Other Recent Clinical Practice Guidelines” (PDF). Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain. 52 (6): 930–945.

Gabapentin Improves Menopausal Hot Flashes, Insomnia. (n.d.). Retrieved August 5, 2017, from Medscape: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/772249

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