Essay on Lyrica - Drug Description

Classification: an anticonvulsant schedule V medication.

Indications for use: lyrica is commonly used in Management of conditions such as; fibromyalgia, postherpetic neuralgia and neuropathic pain related to diabetic peripheral neuropath

Dose: (Include dose for special populations and varying routes of administration) the recommended lyrica dose range from 150-600mg daily. For Postherpetic neuralgia and neuropathic pain, 300-600mg should be administered daily and 300-450mg for Fibromyalgia. The capsules are administered orally and taken twice or thrice per day before or after eating (Davies, 2012).

Side effects: common side effects include; dizziness, constipation, dry mouth, drowsiness, difficulty in concentrating and weight gain. Serious side effects include; allergic reactions which cause swelling of the face or the neck.

Contraindications: (Including special considerations for pregnancy). The drug is contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to pregabalin or its components. Lyrica should only be administered to pregnant women when there are no other alternatives and if benefits outweigh risk.

Cost for one months supply without insurance coverage?

The monthly cost of lyrica is approximately $431.10 (Davies, 2012).

Describe the advertisement (10 points)

What information provided in #2 was present in the advertisement?

The information found in the ad was the name of Lyrica, its side effects and indications for use.

Identify what information was absent from the advertisement?

The information that was absent from the ad was the dosage, cost and contraindications.

When the drug was introduced on the market.

December 30th, 2004

What does the medical literature say about this drug? (10 points)

Lyrica, when used with other drugs, helps control seizure and assists in treatment of fibromyalgia and epilepsy if taken continuously. The drug is medically unnecessary for social and generalized disorder

What discrepancies are there between the literature and the advertisement?

According to the advertisement, pregabalin can be used alone to cure fibromyalgia and treatment of anxiety disorders. The advertisement also claims that it is possible to feel better within the first few weeks of using lyrica and it does not state that its usage may result to overdependence.

Substitution drugs (10 points)

What drugs could be substituted for this drug?

Lyrica alternatives include; neurontin, norpramin and cymbalata.

What patient conditions would indicate that a substitute is necessary?

A substitute would be necessary for adults dealing with chronic neuropathic pain or for people who are adversely affected by the drug

How would the substituted drugs be more beneficial or potentially more harmful to the patient?

The side effects of some substitute drugs like, neurontin are less compared to those of lyrica. Neurontin acts as a mood regulator and is therefore suitable for children. The generic cost for the substitutes is also lower.

Patient information (10 points)

What information would be important for patients to know about this drug and why?

Patients taking pregabalin for seizure prevention should not stop after feeling well since they may experience withdrawal symptoms like nausea, headache and diarrhea. Patients should also avoid operating machines until they understand how lyrica affects them. One should always have a medical tag stating they take pregabalin to inform the medical provider that you take seizure medication. It is also important to be aware of the suicidal thoughts associated with lyrica.

References

Davies, S. (2012). Parallel Universe. New York: Xlibris Corporation.