What Is Lyrica (pregabalin)? What Does Lyrica Treat?

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Main Category: Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry
Also Included In: Fibromyalgia;  Pain / Anesthetics;  Epilepsy
Article Date: 22 May 2009 - 5:00 PST

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Lyrica is Pfizer's trade name for a drug called pregabalin. Pregabalin is an anticonvulsant (anti-seizure) drug that is often used to treat neuropathic pain as well as partial seizures that are common in temporal lobe epilepsy. In Europe, pregabalin is also approved to treat generalized anxiety disorder.

What does Lyrica treat?

Lyrica or pregabalin has been approved in the U.S. to treat epilepsy, diabetic neuropathy pain, and post-herpetic neuralgia (pain after shingles). In addition, pregabalin has been approved in the U.S to treat fibromyalgia, a condition where there is pain in muscles and connective tissue as well as widespread pain and a heightened and painful response to touch. The European Union has also approved Lyrica to treat generalized anxiety disorder.

What are the side effects of Lyrica?

The most prevalent side effect of pregabalin is dizziness or drowsiness, which occurs in more than 10% of patients. Between one and ten percent of patients experience visual problems, lack of coordination in muscle movements, disorder of speech, tremor, lethargy, memory problems, euphoria, constipation, dry mouth, peripheral swelling, loss of sex drive, erectile dysfunction, and weight gain.

Less than 1 percent of patients taking pregabalin may experience depression, confusion, agitation, hallucinations, muscle twitching, change in sensitivity to touch, increased heart rate, excessive salivating, sweating, redness, rash, muscle cramps, muscle and joint pain, urinary problems, or kidney stones.

Less than 0.1% of patients may experience low neutrophil (type of white blood cell) levels, heart block, blood pressure changes, inflammation of the pancreas, difficulty swallowing, halt in urine production, or a breakdown in skeletal muscle tissue.

Although the likelihood is low, patients may become dependent on pregabalin and they may see withdrawal effects after using the drug for an extended period of time.

Does Lyrica interact with other drugs?

The manufacturer of Lyrica warns of potential dangerous interactions with the following drugs:

• Opioids
• Benzodiazepines
• Barbiturates
• Alcohol
• Any drugs that depress the central nervous system

Written by Peter Crosta


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