Introduction
The active ingredient of the drug Lyrica® is called pregabalin. It belongs to the large group of so-called anticonvulsants, also known as antiepileptics. One area of application for Lyrica® can already be derived from its name, namely its use in the context of epilepsy.
Lyrica® is also approved for several other areas of application. These include the treatment of generalized anxiety disorders and the treatment of neuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain is pain that occurs in the context of damage to the nerves and thus leads to a change in pain perception.
Lyrica® belongs to the group of prescription drugs. It has a similar effect to the neurotransmitter GABA in the brain and in the transmission of nerve signals. It binds to voltage-dependent calcium channels and, by lowering the release of calcium particles, reduces the transmission of nerve signals.
The neurotransmitter GABA thus has a dampening effect on the transmission of signals. This is particularly important in the treatment of epilepsy. In the therapy of generalized anxiety disorders, the “side effects” of Lyrica® are more likely to be used. These “side effects” include a sedating and calming effect.
Interactions
As with Lyrica®, all medications used in medicine can have side effects and interactions. However, there are no known important interactions between Lyrica® and other antiepileptic drugs such as lamotrigine, valproic acid or even carbamazepine. There are also no significant interactions when morphine substances such as oxycodone (a very strong painkiller) are taken at the same time.
The same applies to ethanol. However, it is important for the patient to know that there may be an increase in efficacy if Lyrica® and ethanol or a benzodiazepine such as lorazepam are taken at the same time. Lyrica® enhances the potency of both Lorazepam and ethanol, the drinking alcohol.
Female patients of childbearing age should also be advised not to take Lyrica® during pregnancy. This also applies during breastfeeding, as Lyrica® is excreted in breast milk and is thus absorbed by the infant with the breast milk. Medication can be excreted in the body in two different ways.
One excretion route is via the liver. The drug reaches the liver via the blood, where it is metabolized and then excreted via the bile. The other route of excretion is via the kidneys and finally via urine.
Some drugs are excreted from the body by both routes. The drug Lyrica® is excreted almost exclusively via the kidneys. The active ingredient is not broken down or converted beforehand.
Lyrica® is excreted as it was absorbed by the body, i.e. completely unchanged. Since Lyrica® only takes one excretion route, it is important that this route functions properly. The so-called GFR (glomerular filtration rate) serves as a benchmark for the kidney‘s performance, which is a measure of how quickly the kidney can excrete a certain substance from the blood via urine production.
If the kidney does not function completely, the dosage of Lyrica® must be adjusted. This is necessary because otherwise the effective level of Lyrica® in the blood can rise sharply. A quite natural loss of kidney function occurs with age.
If the liver function is restricted, then at least with Lyrica® there is no need to adjust the drug dosage. How is Lyrica® tolerated and the intake of alcohol? With regard to the drinking of alcohol, it can be said that the simultaneous intake of Lyrica® and alcohol is not compatible, since Lyrica® can significantly increase the effect of alcohol.
The following day, for example, it can lead to a significant increase in alcohol-related headaches or nausea. However, the effect of Lyrica® is not intensified or weakened by alcohol. Moreover, alcohol has no influence on the metabolism or excretion of Lyrica®. The regular and excessive consumption of alcohol, which leads to damage to the liver and ultimately ends in liver cirrhosis, i.e. a connective tissue remodelling of the liver, has no effect on Lyrica®, since it is only broken down via the kidneys. Nevertheless, one should avoid drinking alcohol when taking Lyrica®.Especially with regard to the side effects of Lyrica® (such as: confusion, irritability, aggression and mood swings), one should not drink alcohol, as alcohol can also lead to increased irritability and aggression and these can then possibly become more potent.
