Nervigesic (Lyrica)

Lyrica product description

An active ingredient of Lyrica is pregabalin, which has an anticonvulsant and antiepileptic effect. Corporation Pfizer synthesized pregabalin at the end of the last century. The company initially positioned Lyrica as a modern antiepileptic agent, devoid of serious side effects typical for this class of drugs, and not causing addiction. Later it turned out that Lyrica remarkably fights anxiety and relieves depression, and the area of application has naturally expanded. The mechanism of action of Lyrica has not been completely studied yet. It is known that the substance acts on the same areas of the brain as tranquilizers, but it is not clear why it causes the physical and mental excitement not peculiar to tranquilizers. In medical circles pregabalin has established itself as a drug for the treatment of epilepsy and anxiety disorders.

Lyrica safety information

During Lyrica treatment, it is necessary to evade from driving vehicles and practicing potentially dangerous activities that require a high concentration of attention and speed of psychomotor reactions.

Women of reproductive age should use reliable methods of contraception, while treatment of Lyrica. The drug is prescribed to pregnant women only if the intended benefit to the mother outweighs the risk to the fetus.

If patients with diabetes mellitus on the background of taking Lyrica increased body weight, correction of doses of hypoglycemic medicines is necessary. Treatment of the elderly can cause dizziness and drowsiness, which increases the risk of injury in the latter.

Do not administer Lyrica to patients with hypersensitivity to pregabalinum or other components of the drug. The drug is contraindicated for children under 17, women during lactation and people with impaired lactose absorption and intolerance to lactose.

Interaction with other substances

Pregabalin is metabolized to an insignificant degree in the body and practically does not bind to plasma proteins, so the pharmacokinetic interaction of Lyric with other drugs is unlikely.

The intake of Lyrica can enhance the effects of Lorazepam and ethanol. With the simultaneous use of pregabalin and oxycodone, there is an increase in impairments of the mnestic function and the basic motor functions, which are caused by the intake of oxycodone.

The drug does not affect the pharmacological effects of other anticonvulsants, as well as the effectiveness of oral contraceptives, diuretics, oral antidiabetics, and insulin.

Lyrica side effects

In evidence-based medicine, there is no evidence of the negative effect of Lyrica on the liver. The fact is that pregabalin is not processed in the liver, therefore its toxic effect on this organ is minimal. Regarding the influence of Lyrica on sexual function - there is no reliable information about the irreversible damage to the testicles and impotence caused by Lyrica. But the negative impact of Lyrica on the kidneys does not cause any doubt. Many patients complain of swollen limbs and pain in the lumbar region during treatment with pregabalin. In addition, according to a recent experiment in mice, pregabalin and its predecessors can interfere with the development of cellular bonds in the brain, which is fraught with early dementia.