8.4 million people were prescribed Anti-anxiety drug “Pregabalin” in the UK

In 2018, there were twice as many deaths linked to the drug “pregabalin” compared to previous years. Some press reports published that this is like “the opioid crisis in the US”, where many people were harmed by addictive drugs.

We all get a little nervous sometimes. It might be when we have a week left for examinations and still haven’t even opened the syllabus, the day before an interview or the very moment when you gather the courage to ask out your crush. However, anxiety is different. According to the APA Dictionary, anxiety is characterised by excessive worry, high levels of tension as well as physical changes such as increased heart rate and high blood pressure.

The way we take medicines for headaches or the common cold, and mental disorders can be treated through prescription drugs as well aimed at regulating the hormones and neurochemical changes happening within the individual. Psychiatry is the branch of science that deals with the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of medical disorders. The biggest difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist is that the former has the expertise and credibility to prescribe medicines. However, these prescriptions may have a long-lasting and horrid impact if misused. The most recent example of this can be found in the anti-anxiety drug of pregabalin as it has been compared to the deadly effects caused by the opioid epidemic in the US.

What Is Pregabalin? 

Pregabalin is a prescriptive drug that also goes by the names Alzain, Axalid, and Lyrica. According to the NHS, Pregabalin can be used for the treatment of numerous illnesses, particularly epilepsy and anxiety. Another use of it comes with treating nerve pain. It works in the following ways:

• The chemical epinephrine is directly involved in various symptoms of anxiety. Pregabalin stops or regulates the release of such chemicals from the brain. 
• Moreover, the drug also reduces the electrical activity happening in the brain which causes seizures or epilepsy. 
• In case of nerve damage, pregabalin also aids an individual with nerve pain in the areas of hands, legs, fingers, toes and so on. 

Pregabalin must be used with certain guidelines in mind. The individual consuming this drug must abide by the following guidelines:

• Pregabalin must only be taken by adults ranging from the ages of 18-65. It must be taken only under the prescription of a practising and licensed doctor. 
• One should not consume the drug more than twice or thrice a day, the dosage being as dictated by the respective doctor.
• For patients with epilepsy, it is necessary to take pregabalin regularly. 
• It is not suitable for those who are attempting to get pregnant, already are pregnant, or are breastfeeding. 
• In case of kidney issues, one should not consume pregabalin. 

If an individual is following these guidelines and regulating their intake, they should not have any such issue with pregabalin. However, people do use pregabalin without a prescription which contributes to the unregulated and dangerous use of pregabalin. 

The Deathly Effects Of Pregabalin

The regulated use of pregabalin can help alleviate the pain and symptoms of nerve damage and illnesses such as epilepsy and anxiety. However, it does have certain side effects like any other medicine:

• The side effects caused by regulated use of the drug are mild and go away after some time. 
• These include feelings of sleepiness and the usual increased fatigue.
• Other side effects are dizziness and confusion.
• Moreover, it may cause moderate headaches as well now and then.

However, many people consume this drug without a prescription and regulation. Research done since 2000 has talked about the deaths caused by increased and unregulated dosages of pregabalin. Let us look further into this.

• Pregabalin overdose can negate the very purpose it set out for it can cause seizures.
• While it does not cause severe toxicity within the system, it can cause mild sedation to the extent of causing comas.
• Other effects also include dissociation, feelings of numbness, slowed behavior and even hallucinations have been observed in certain case studies.
• The drug also creates dependency as can be seen in a case study where the individual had a fatal panic attack and feelings of restlessness when they tried to wean themselves off the drug. 
• Further cases of dependency include people experiencing brain fog, loss of memory, fatigue and so on.
• It can cause addiction since people often feel euphoric under the influence of this drug.

Astonishing Research Findings

There has been a plethora of research done on the destructive use of pregabalin and the research speaks volumes since it even incited a change in the drug’s policy. The rise in deaths caused by the drug can be seen as directly linked to the increased prescription of the drug. In the UK in 2022 alone, about 8.4 million people were prescribed pregabalin for various ailments. This is a major increase from 2016 when only 2.9 million prescriptions were made.

Due to the notable increase in pregabalin-caused deaths, the UK government in 2019 was categorized into a class C drug under the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act which meant that the drug could only be accessed through valid prescriptions. However, this hasn’t made much of an impact with such cases still on the rise. Other notable findings include:

• The first death that occurred out of increased pregabalin was reported in 2006.
• Research has indicated that pregabalin is more harmful in effect when combined with other drugs such as gabapentinoid. Out of 3051 deaths with gabapentinoid detection, 2322 also detected pregabalin.
• In another study of 1208 ambulance attendees, 68% were found to have misused the drug along with another sedative.
• In Australia 2017-2018, pregabalin had bagged the sixth position of most prescribed subsidized drugs.
• In 95.1% of cases with pregabalin misuse, there was detection of acute drug toxicity.
• In England, pregabalin prescriptions have nearly doubled between the years of 2013-2018.
• The misuse has increased since pregabalin came into use for recreational purposes.

These researchers have indicated the harmful, even deadly effects of drug misuse. One must be very mindful of the way they consume drugs since most can be highly addictive and cause dependency. In cases where we succumb to the harmful effects of such drugs, we must shift our focus to techniques to battle addiction. If you have a family history of addiction, you should all the more avoid becoming involved in any such activity. We should know the importance of informed consent which is a bioethical principle that requires a patient to be fully aware of any medicine or surgery suggested by a medical professional. Don’t hesitate to ask questions.