Pharmacology, the science of drugs and how they affect our bodies, is constantly evolving. It brings us new and improved treatments for everyday ailments while shedding fresh light on the long-term effects of medications used for decades.
A recent observational study published in Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine examined the potential downsides of gabapentin, a drug commonly prescribed for chronic pain. Researchers from the University School of Medicine in Cleveland, and Arizona State University analyzed health data from more than 25,000 adults and found that receiving six or more gabapentin prescriptions for low back pain correlated with a higher risk of developing dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
While the team emphasized that further investigation is needed to establish a causal relationship, they stressed in a press release that their findings “support the need for close monitoring of adult patients prescribed gabapentin to assess for potential cognitive decline.”
Gabapentin has ...
