Millions of people who use common painkillers may be unknowingly risking drug poisoning, a new study warns.
Research from University College London found that patients taking so-called gabapentinoids have a higher risk of serious side effects when combining them with other common medications.
According to the study, combining these drugs with benzodiazepines – tranquilizers such as diazepam or Valium, used for anxiety and insomnia – doubles the risk of hospitalization due to drug poisoning. While using them together with opioids, such as codeine, tramadol or morphine, increases the risk by about 30%.
However, despite these risks, almost 90% of patients in the study had taken opioids concomitantly with gabapentinoids, while more than half had also used benzodiazepines.
Gabapentinoids – such as gabapentin and pregabalin – are widely used to treat chronic pain and are often considered a safer alternative to opioids. But experts stress that this does not mean they are without risk.
The study analyzed data from over 16 patients in the United Kingdom over a 10-year period, comparing cases of poisoning before, during and after the use of these drugs.
The results showed that symptoms of poisoning can range from nausea and confusion, to seizures, airway obstruction and even death. Severe cases require emergency hospital treatment.
Particularly worrying was the fact that the risk was highest in the first weeks after starting treatment: patients taking gabapentinoids and benzodiazepines simultaneously were four times more likely to end up in the hospital during the first month.
The researchers also noted that these drugs are often prescribed to patients who are already at higher risk for complications, for example when their pain or symptoms worsen.
The authors emphasize that the findings do not mean that gabapentinoids should be avoided, but that their use requires increased caution, especially when combined with other drugs. Monitoring of patients is essential.
Meanwhile, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has strengthened warnings for these drugs, highlighting the risk of dependence, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms.
Authorities recommend that these medications not be combined with alcohol or opioids and not shared with other people. Patients should also be clearly informed about the risks through patient information leaflets.
Gabapentinoids act on the nervous system by affecting GABA pathways in the brain, reducing pain and providing a calming effect. However, long-term use can lead to physical dependence and difficulty quitting.
Addiction clinics have even reported cases where patients, after developing tolerance, require higher doses and turn to unofficial sources to obtain them.
The message from experts is clear: these drugs can be useful, but only if used carefully and under strict medical supervision. /GazetaExpress/
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