Pregabalin May Cause Dependence Even if It is not Abused

and Aims: Pregabalin is approved in Norway for the treatment of epilepsy, peripheral and central neuropathic pain and anxiety. Increasing use has led to concern among professionals about the abuse potential of the drug. Some attempts have been made to explore the abuse and addiction potential of pregabalin, but these has not been conclusive. The aim of our study was to investigate this further. Design and Methods: We interviewed six psychiatric patients at an outpatient clinic in Norway for a case series. The Norwegian version of M.I.N.I International Neuropsychiatric Interview was used to diagnose pregabalin abuse or dependence, yielding a DSM-IV diagnosis. Results: Five of the six subjects fulfilled DSM-IV criteria for pregabalin dependence. All five of these patients had co-morbid psychiatric conditions. Two subjects were still dependent on pregabalin at the time of the interview. Both of these had a history of alcohol or other substance abuse. Two subjects met DSM-IV criteria for abuse previously, but not currently. Discussion and Conclusions: Patients with chronic disease are more or less “dependent” on their medication. These patients may have problems with withdrawal which might falsely be labeled as addiction. The cases presented here suggest that the use of pregabalin may lead to drug dependence without abuse.