Objective: To report the effects of gabapentin in a patient with concurrent depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and review the use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in PTSD. Case summary: A 37-year-old Latin American woman was being treated for major depression and PTSD. Although not used frequently in the treatment of PTSD, they may have beneficial effects, particularly when patients have both PTSD and bipolar disorder. Carbamazepine, valproic acid, topiramate, and gabapentin have all been associated with positive data in open-label trials. 40-43 Several studies have suggested that antiepileptic drugs, such as gabapentin and lamotrigine, may be effective in the treatment of PTSD symptoms. We report on a 15-year-old Japanese female junior high school student who developed PTSD symptoms following repeated teasing from male classmates. Keywords: gabapentin, neurontin, bipolar disorder, substance use disorder, alcohol use disorder, alcohol withdrawal, PTSD, anxiety disorder Citation: Ahmed S, Bachu R, Kotapati P, Adnan M, Ahmed R, Farooq U, Saeed H, Khan AM, Zubair A, Qamar I and Begum G (2019) Use of Gabapentin in the Treatment of Substance Use and Psychiatric Disorders: A Gabapentin’s potential in addressing PTSD symptoms lies in its ability to modulate neurotransmitter activity and influence these dysregulated brain systems. By affecting calcium channels, gabapentin may help reduce the excessive neuronal excitability often seen in PTSD. It’s also used for migraines, and it tends to suppress appetite. In one study, 79% of patients taking topiramate experienced a reduction in their nightmares, and 50% stopped having nightmares altogether. Gabapentin: Gabapentin does a few different things. It’s an anticonvulsant, but it can also help with neuropathic pain, anxiety, and sleep. Antidepressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), might be used to help reduce symptoms of depression or anxiety in people with PTSD. The common SSRIs prescribed Gabapentin has less likely benefit adjunctively for bipolar disorder. Gabapentin has clearer efficacy for alcohol craving and withdrawal symptoms and may have a role in adjunctive treatment of opioid dependence. There is no clear evidence for gabapentin therapy in depression, PTSD prevention, OCD, or other types of substance abuse. Gabapentin, a novel anticonvulsant agent, has been of interest as a potential anxiolytic agent, but has not been evaluated in PTSD. We reviewed records of 30 consecutive patients who had been diagnosed with PTSD according to structured interviews and had received gabapentin as an adjunctive medication. In patients admitted for surgical trauma, Stein et al 66 examined gabapentin use in prevention of PTSD and depressive symptoms. Within 48 hours of the traumatic event, 48 patients were randomized to propranolol (60–120 mg/d), gabapentin (900–1,200 mg/d), or placebo for 14 days. Despite the widespread off-label use of gabapentin in BD, SAD; preoperative anxiety; post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD; obsessive-compulsive disorder, OCD; panic disorder, PD) were selected A case is presented in which a patient diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who had been taking multiple medications with little clinical response was placed on gabapentin treatment with beneficial results. Cyproheptadine: Three small trials of cyproheptadine in PTSD patients had conflicting data. Adverse effects may outweigh the benefit. 25-27. Gabapentin: A single retrospective study of gabapentin in patients with PTSD showed a marked or moderate improvement in sleep, as well as a decreased frequency or intensity of nightmares. 28 OBJECTIVE:To report the effects of gabapentin in a patient with concurrent depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and review the use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in PTSD.CASE SUMMARY: Drugs from this category that have been used in clinical trials to treat chronic PTSD include carbamazepine, valproate, topiramate, lamotrigine, lithium, and gabapentin. Carbamazepine, commonly used to treat seizure disorders involving the temporal lobe, has strong antikindling properties. While gabapentin is frequently used in practice for a wide array of psychiatric diagnoses, its use is evidence-based for only a few indications. Multiple RCTs have shown gabapentin to be ineffective for bipolar disorder. There is insufficient evidence to recommend the use of gabapentin for MDD, GAD, PTSD, or OCD. This retrospective study suggests that gabapentin may improve in particular sleep difficulties and also other symptoms associated with chronic PTSD. Prospective, controlled studies are needed to further investigate the effects of gabapentin on insomnia, nightmares, and other core PTSD symptoms. However, monotherapy gabapentin appears ineffective for prevention of PTSD. In patients admitted for surgical trauma, Stein et al 66 examined gabapentin use in prevention of PTSD and depressive symptoms. Within 48 hours of the traumatic event, 48 patients were randomized to propranolol (60–120 mg/d), gabapentin (900–1,200 mg/d), or placebo Gabapentin, a novel anticonvulsant agent, has been of interest as a potential anxiolytic agent, but has not been evaluated in PTSD. We reviewed records of 30 consecutive patients who had been Multiple RCTs have shown gabapentin to be ineffective for bipolar disorder. There is insufficient evidence to recommend the use of gabapentin for MDD, GAD, PTSD, or OCD. There is sufficient evidence to consider the use of gabapentin for social anxiety disorder and, potentially, severe panic disorder after other treatment options have failed.
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