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Six cases of (severe) hypoglycaemia associated with gabapentin use in both diabetic and non‐diabetic patients
Author(s) -
Scholl Joep H. G.,
Eekeren Rike,
Puijenbroek Eugène P.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
british journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.216
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1365-2125
pISSN - 0306-5251
DOI - 10.1111/bcp.12548
Subject(s) - gabapentin , medicine , anesthesia , pyridostigmine , neuropathic pain , palpitations , epilepsy , diabetes mellitus , adverse effect , nausea , endocrinology , myasthenia gravis , psychiatry , alternative medicine , pathology
The Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Centre Lareb received six cases of hypoglycaemia associated with the use of gabapentin. It concerns three males and three females (age 36 - 71 years) who used gabapentin for neuropathic pain. A medical history of diabetes mellitus was reported in four of them. There was a suggestive time relationship with the use of gabapentin, with a time to onset of several days to weeks, and a positive dechallenge in the majority of the cases. Pharmacologically, gabapentin-induced hypoglycaemia could be related to its gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor affinity. Both the GABAA and GABAB receptor have a role in the secretion of insulin. Alternatively, direct binding of gabapentin to the specific subunits of the voltage-gated calcium channels could also affect insulin release. We recommend that patients, especially diabetics, starting gabapentin treatment should be monitored and informed about the risk of hypoglycaemia