Common side effects include headache, dizziness, sleepiness, confusion, trouble with memory, poor coordination, dry mouth, problems with vision, and weight gain.[13][29] Serious side effects may include angioedema, drug misuse, and an increased suicide risk.[13] When pregabalin is taken at high doses over a long period of time, addiction may occur, but if taken at usual doses the risk is low.[4] Use during pregnancy or breastfeeding is of unclear safety.[30]
Pregabalin was approved for medical use in the United States in 2004.[13] It was developed as a successor to the related gabapentin.[31] It is available as a generic medication.[29][32][33][34][35] In 2021, it was the 73rd most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 8million prescriptions.[36][37] In the US, pregabalin is a Schedule V controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970,[13] which means that the drug has low abuse potential compared to substances in Schedules I-IV, however, there is still a potential for misuse.[38] Despite the low abuse potential, there have been reports of euphoria, improved happiness, excitement, calmness, and a "high" similar to marijuana with the use of pregabalin; there is a potential for developing dependence on these substances, and withdrawal symptoms may occur if the medication is abruptly discontinued.[39][40] It is a Class C controlled substance in the UK.[41] This classification has specific implications in the UK: class C drugs are considered by the UK government to be the least harmful of the controlled substances,[42] but it is still illegal to possess, supply, or sell Class C drugs like pregabalin without a prescription;[43][44] additional requirements are needed on the prescription, for example, the dose must be clearly defined.[42] Despite being seen as the least harmful by the UK government, possession of Class C drugs still attracts long prison sentences if found guilty in court; and there is a potential for misuse: pregabalin can bring about an elevated mood in users but can also have serious side effects, particularly when used in combination with other drugs.[42][45]
^"Pregabalin". Drugs.com. Archived from the original on August 28, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
^ abCite error: The named reference EMA2013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference Bock2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ abcdefghi"Pregabalin". The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Archived from the original on December 2, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
^ abExpert Committee on Drug Dependence Forty-first Meeting (November 2018). Critical Review Report: Pregabalin(PDF) (Report). Geneva: World Health Organization. Archived from the original(PDF) on October 26, 2020.
^Cross AL, Viswanath O, Sherman AI (July 19, 2022). "Pregabalin". StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing. PMID29261857. Archived from the original on August 3, 2022. Retrieved August 27, 2022 – via NCBI Bookshelf.
^Iftikhar IH, Alghothani L, Trotti LM (December 2017). "Gabapentin enacarbil, pregabalin and rotigotine are equally effective in restless legs syndrome: a comparative meta-analysis". European Journal of Neurology. 24 (12): 1446–1456. doi:10.1111/ene.13449. PMID28888061. S2CID22262972.
^Honorio Benzon, James P. Rathmell, Christopher L. Wu, Dennis C. Turk, Charles E. Argoff, Robert W Hurley (September 11, 2013). Practical Management of Pain. Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 1006. ISBN978-0-323-17080-2.
^Calandre EP, Rico-Villademoros F, Slim M (November 2016). "Alpha2delta ligands, gabapentin, pregabalin and mirogabalin: a review of their clinical pharmacology and therapeutic use". Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics. 16 (11): 1263–1277. doi:10.1080/14737175.2016.1202764. PMID27345098. S2CID33200190.