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Pregabalin abuse among opiate addicted patients

  • Clinical Trial
  • Published:
European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Pregabalin is a novel GABA-analogue approved for the treatment of partial onset seizures, neuropathic pain, and general anxiety disorder. Pregabalin has been classified as a Schedule V drug with a low risk of inflicting abuse or addiction. However, some publications have indicated that pregabalin may have a potential for abuse among patients with past or current opiate addiction. Thus, we hypothesized that pregabalin might be abused by patients who were undergoing an opiate replacement therapy and never had an indication for taking pregabalin on medical grounds.

Methods

Urine specimens from 124 patients with opiate dependency syndrome and from 111 patients with other addiction disorders (alcohol, benzodiazepines, cannabis, amphetamines) were screened for pregabalin by means of a mass spectrometer analysis.

Results

We found 12.1 % of all urine specimens from patients with opiate addiction to be positive for pregabalin. None of the patients concerned had a medical indication for using pregabalin. In the control group, 2.7 % of the patients were tested positively for pregabalin, due to their taking it regularly for chronic pain or general anxiety.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that pregabalin is liable to be abused among individuals with opiate dependency syndrome Thus, vigilance and caution are called for when patients with a past or current opiate dependency are exposed to treatment with pregabalin.

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Role of funding source

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they do not have any conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, J5/68159, Mannheim, Germany

    Martin Grosshans, Tagrid Lemenager, Christian Vollmert, Nina Kaemmerer, Xenija Wagner, Falk Kiefer & Derik Hermann

  2. Limbach Medical Laboratories, Heidelberg, Germany

    Rupert Schreiner

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland

    Jochen Mutschler

Authors
  1. Martin Grosshans
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  2. Tagrid Lemenager
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  3. Christian Vollmert
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  4. Nina Kaemmerer
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  5. Rupert Schreiner
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  6. Jochen Mutschler
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  7. Xenija Wagner
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  8. Falk Kiefer
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  9. Derik Hermann
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martin Grosshans.

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Grosshans, M., Lemenager, T., Vollmert, C. et al. Pregabalin abuse among opiate addicted patients. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 69, 2021–2025 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00228-013-1578-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00228-013-1578-5

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