Gabapentin - Stepwards

Page Contents

1 WHAT IS IT?
2 WHEN DO WE USE IT?
3 WHEN DO WE AVOID USING IT?
4 HOW IS IT ADMINISTERED?
5 WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS/TOXICITY?
6 ANYTHING ELSE TO KEEP IN MIND?
7 FURTHER READING

WHAT IS IT?

Gabapentin (Neurontin): is essentially a GABA analog and is a medication that primarily inhibits high voltage activated calcium channels.

Gabapentin mechanism of action. Inhibition of calcium channels will antagonize neural signaling and decrease impact of painful stimuli on the body (source)

WHEN DO WE USE IT?

Seizures (simple, complex, tonic-clonic), peripheral neuropathy, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, postherpetic neuralgia (secondary to Herpes zoster), migraines

WHEN DO WE AVOID USING IT?

When there is known hypersensitivity to the medication.

HOW IS IT ADMINISTERED?

Oral administration.

WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS/TOXICITY?

Sedation, ataxia, tremor

ANYTHING ELSE TO KEEP IN MIND?

A initial starting dose may be as little as 100 mg a day (to see how patients tolerate the medication) however the max dose is sometimes as high as 4,000 mg a day for this medication.