Study, May/19: Pregabalin for Anxiety in Patients w/Neurocognitive Disorder

The full title of this study is "Description of the Treatment Course by Pregabalin for Anxiety in Patients With a Major Neurocognitive Disorder".

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30939590

 

Abstract

 

BACKGROUND:

 

Anxiety symptoms frequently experienced by patients with a major neurocognitive disorder (NCD) are often treated with long-term benzodiazepines despite known adverse effects. Pregabalin has shown efficacy in generalized anxiety disorders but has not been studied in patients with a major NCD. The objective of this study was to describe the use of pregabalin for anxiety in patient with a major NCD and the impact of its use on the pharmacological treatment change.

 

METHODS:

 

A retrospective study was conducted using data of hospitalized patients in a cognitive-behavioral specialized unit between January 2015 and December 2017. Patients with a major NCD treated by pregabalin were included in this study. Data about the use of pregabalin (initiation and effective dosage, titration duration) and the use of other psychotropics were collected from the patients' medical records.

 

RESULTS:

 

Thirty-three patients were included (mean age, 79.6 ± 11.7 years; 66.7% women). The mean duration of pregabalin titration was 18.6 ± 1.4 days, and the mean effective dosage was 200.0 ± 130.8 mg/d (range, 50-700 mg/d). At admission (before pregabalin use), 78.8% of patients were treated with a systematic prescription of benzodiazepine. At discharge (with pregabalin use), a significant decrease in patients with systematic prescription of benzodiazepine was observed (78.8% vs 33.3%, P = 0.001). During hospitalizations, no pregabalin treatment has been discontinued for lack of efficacy or for tolerance.

 

CONCLUSIONS:

 

Larger controlled studies are needed to confirm the efficacy and the safety of pregabalin to treat anxiety symptoms associated with neurocognitive disorders.

Lapis : some folks are just so lucky -- pregab works for them.

 

but -- not me -- tried it to help me off 2 benzos.

 

.... sent me deeper into pit of hell.... gave me a DVT + quadrupled my current Sxs .... almost paradoxical ....  also, severe ataxia + new horrific GI stuff.

 

was warned by Pharmacist -- but GP kept pushing regardless.

 

been 4 months of relentless hell.

 

+ it's classed like a benzo now in the UK.

 

we're all so different : neuro / chemical, etc.

 

 

I think people need to be very careful about using one drug to treat the effects of another. I guess some people might find something that helps with the symptoms, but to me, it makes more sense to allow the brain to normalize over time. I'm sorry you had a rough time of it, chipmunk. I was too afraid of all of these meds to consider taking something else. All medications have potential side effects.

Lapis

 

me too -- afraid of these drugs -- had paradoxical + severe reactions to ADs, etc, in past.

 

but my former + current GP  kept pushing every week for 3 months... + said it's the only drug the Pain clinic would offer as well...

 

stupid Psych who advised them to push pregabalin -- also told me to updose over 4x my original dose... !?

 

+ that i'd be 'worse off Clz than on it'... discharged me on the spot when i said NO.

 

then... i was carefully warned by a few here w/bad experiences + read many older posts saying same....

 

only saw 1 or 2 who it seemed to help.

 

... was just so desperate... did it for my spouse + false hope + ignored my instincts.

 

only 4 doses of 25 mg... knew 2nd day it was bad... but stuck it out for 4 days...

 

GP insisted 1 week... but already 4 days too many, i put my foot down... tho it was too late.

 

GP admitted it probably caused my ongoing DVT ... then washed her hands of me.

 

really hard to trust any Docs now... even tho Docs/ meds save lives... hard to reconcile.

 

hope you are well ... many thanks for your support x

 

 

Yes, I guess I'm quite lucky in that I didn't have that kind of pressure. I did take Prozac for awhile because I was told it might help my dizziness, but it probably made it worse. Once I learned the realities of these meds, I let the prescribing doctor know I wasn't comfortable taking it and I asked for help to taper it. Once that was over (6 weeks), I didn't see him again. He was a meds-only type of doc. No, thank you!

 

I'm really sorry you had to deal with that kind of thing. It seems to be a common experience around here, too.

Lapis

 

many thanks again for reading + support x

 

sorry about the dizziness + Prozac + that Doc....

 

+ yes, lucky escape - so glad you didn't get messed up further by that Doc.

 

wishing you speedy healing x

Thanks, chipmunk. Best wishes to you too!