Gabapentinoid Medications Might Not Be as Benign as You Think

Clinicians often prescribe gabapentin and pregabalin for pain, sleep, and anxiety symptoms, and some view these drugs as safe alternatives to benzodiazepines and opioids in, for example, patients with alcohol use, chronic insomnia, or chronic pain disorders. Thus, use of these medications has been increasing. Researchers in Sweden conducted a within-subjects epidemiological study of almost 200,000 people aged ≥15 with ≥2 prescriptions for gabapentin or pregabalin in 2006–2013.

Periods of using gabapentinoids were associated with greater risks than nontreatment periods for suicidal behavior (hazard ratio, 1.26), unintentional overdose (HR, 1.24), head and bodily injuries (HR, 1.22), and traffic accidents (HR, 1.13). In subanalyses, the effect…