More Evidence That Gabapentin Works for Hot Flashes

In the search for alternatives to hormone therapy for controlling menopause-related vasomotor symptoms, gabapentin has shown some promise. Now, in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, Canadian investigators assessed the efficacy of gabapentin for treating hot flashes occurring with natural menopause. Community-dwelling, symptomatic, postmenopausal women (197; age range, 45–65) recruited by family physicians or through advertisements were randomized to either manufacturer-supplied gabapentin (300 mg, 3 times daily) or placebo for 4 weeks. Participants maintained hot-flash diaries so that hot-flash scores, which incorporate frequency and severity, could be calculated.

Ten of the 99 women receiving gabapentin and 6 of the 98 re…