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Nonepileptic Uses of Gabapentin
Author(s) -
Magnus Leslie
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
epilepsia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.687
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1528-1167
pISSN - 0013-9580
DOI - 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1999.tb00936.x
Subject(s) - gabapentin , carbamazepine , medicine , neuropathic pain , postherpetic neuralgia , pregabalin , trigeminal neuralgia , neuralgia , migraine , anticonvulsant , phenytoin , epilepsy , psychiatry , anesthesia , alternative medicine , pathology
Summary: For decades, antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have been used to treat a variety of nonepileptic conditions such as chronic pain, psychiatric disorders, and movement disorders. As indicated by recent published reports, gabapentin, a relatively new AED, is useful for treating a wide range of neurologic and psychiatric conditions. Although its exact mechanism of action has yet to be determined, gabapentin is likely to have multiple effects. Unlike conventional AEDs used to treat non‐epileptic disorders (e.g., carbamazepine, phenytoin, valproate) gabapentin offers the advantages of low toxicity and a favorable side‐effect profile. The largest area of nonepileptic use of gabapentin is neuropathic pain, in which it has demonstrated efficacy in treatment of postherpetic neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy, and trigeminal neuralgia. It has also been reported effective as therapy for several psychiatric disorders, most notably bipolar disorder. In addition, review of the published literature reveals the usefulness of gabapentin in movement disorders, migraine prophylaxis, and cocaine dependence. Future clinical studies will provide further insight into the range of conditions for which gabapentin is effective.