State of Advocacy - clarification‏

[Guest guest]

Source: Co-Cure

Clarification - Pregabalin (Lyrica) is not an anti-depressant as stated.

Pregabalin is used to relieve neuropathic pain (pain from damaged

nerves) in diabetes or shingles (a painful rash that occurs after

infection with herpes zoster). It may also be used to treat seizures.

In June 2007, pregabalin became the first medication approved by the

U.S. Food and Drug Administration specifically for the treatment of

fibromyalgia.

Like gabapentin (also used for seizures and neuropathic pain),

pregabalin binds to the & #945;2 & #948; (alpha2delta) subunit of the

voltage-dependent calcium channel in the central nervous system.

Pregabalin decreases the release of neurotransmitters including

glutamate, noradrenaline, substance P and calcitonin gene-related

peptide. However, unlike anxiolytic compounds (eg, benzodiazepines)

which exert their therapeutic effects through binding to GABAA, GABAB,

and benzodiazepine receptors, pregabalin neither binds directly to

these receptors nor augments GABAA currents or affects GABA metabolism

According to McQuay et al 2011 some fibromyalgia patients treated with

pregabalin experience a moderate or substantial pain response that is

consistent over time. However, short trials using 'any improvement' as

an outcome may overestimate treatment effects.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2906437/?tool=pmcentrez