Patients with diabetes mellitus
In some patients with diabetes mellitus, if weight gain is added to the background of pregabalin therapy, dosage adjustment of hypoglycemic agents may be required.
Hypersensitivity reactions
Pregabalin should be discontinued if symptoms of angioedema develop (such as facial swelling, perioral edema, or swelling of the upper respiratory tract).
Suicidal thoughts and behavior
Antiepileptic drugs, including pregabalinum, may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior. When suicidal thoughts and behavior appear, as well as the worsening of depression, patients or caregivers should immediately seek medical help.
Dizziness, drowsiness, loss of consciousness, confusion, cognitive impairment
Treatment with pregabalin was accompanied by dizziness and drowsiness, which increases the risk of accidental trauma (falls) in elderly patients. In the course of the post-marketing application of pregabalin, there were also cases of loss of consciousness, confusion, and violation of cognitive functions.Therefore, as long as patients do not evaluate the possible effects of the drug, they should be careful.
Cancellation of concomitant anticonvulsant therapy
Information on the possibility of canceling other anticonvulsants with suppression of seizures with pregabalin and the advisability of monotherapy with this drug are insufficient. There are reports of the development of seizures, including epileptic status and minor seizures with pregabalin or immediately after therapy.
Effect of pregabalin on vision
In clinical trials in patients who have been pregabalinum, a side effect such as blurred vision was more common than in patients receiving placebo. At the same time, this side effect ceased as the treatment continued. In clinical studies, during which an ophthalmologic examination of patients was performed, visual acuity and visual field changes were more often observed in patients receiving pregabalinum, than those who received placebo. The frequency of changes in the fundus was higher in patients receiving a placebo. Despite the fact that the clinical significance of these disorders is not established, patients should be informed of the changes in vision with pregabalin therapy.If symptoms persist, visual impairment should be continued. More frequent eye examinations should be performed in patients who are already regularly observed with an ophthalmologist. When such undesirable reactions appear in response to the use of pregabalin such as loss of vision, blurred vision or other abnormalities on the part of the visual organ, the withdrawal of the drug may lead to the disappearance of these symptoms.
Renal insufficiency
There were also cases of development of renal failure, in some cases after the abolition of pregabalin kidney function was restored.
Symptoms of withdrawal
As a result of cancellation of pregabalin after prolonged or short-term therapy, the following AEs were observed: insomnia, headache, nausea, diarrhea, flu-like syndrome, depression, increased sweating, dizziness, convulsions and anxiety. The available data indicate that the frequency and severity of manifestations of the syndrome of "withdrawal" of pregabalin may depend on the dose of pregabalin.
Abuse of the drug
There is no evidence that pregabalinum is active against receptors associated with the development of drug abuse by patients.During post-registration studies, cases of abuse of pregabalin were observed. As with any drug that affects the central nervous system, the patient's medical history should be carefully assessed for the incidence of LS abuse, and the patient should be monitored for the possibility of abuse of pregabalin (eg, development of resistance to pregabalin therapy, an unreasonable increase in the dose of the drug, addictive behavior patient). There are reports of cases of development of dependence when using pregabalin. Patients with drug dependence in a history need careful medical observation for symptoms of dependence on pregabalin.
Chronic heart failure
During the post-marketing application of pregabalin, chronic heart failure (CHF) was reported on the background of pregabalin therapy in some patients. These reactions were predominantly observed in elderly patients with cardiac dysfunction who received pregabalinum in occasion of a neuropathy. therefore pregabalinum this category of patients should be used with caution.After the abolition of pregabalin, the disappearance of the manifestation of similar reactions is possible.
Treatment of neuropathic pain of the central genesis due to spinal cord injury
In the treatment of central neuropathic pain caused by spinal cord injury, the frequency of AEs from the CNS, especially such as drowsiness, increased. This may be a consequence of the summation of the effects of pregabalin and other medications taken (eg, antispastic). This circumstance should be taken into account when using pregabalin for this indication.
Encephalopathy
There have been cases of encephalopathy, especially in patients with concomitant diseases, which can lead to the development of encephalopathy.
Disorders from the digestive tract
In case of simultaneous use with opioid analgesics, measures should be taken to prevent constipation and intestinal obstruction, in particular in elderly patients and women (see section "Interaction with other drugs").
Treatment of elderly patients
In elderly patients, more frequent occurrence of such adverse reactions as dizziness, confusion, tremor,impaired coordination, lethargy.
The remedy contains lactose. Patients with such hereditary diseases as galactose intolerance, lactase deficiency or impaired absorption of glucose-galactose should not take this medication.