Gabapentinoid users have a high risk of perilous drug interactions if they are taking other medicines, a recent study confirms.
People have a doubled risk of hospitalization for drug poisoning if benzodiazepines are combined with gabapentinoids, scholars reported in a medical journal, PLOS Medicine, on April 16, 2026.
Taking opioids with gabapentinoids is linked to a 30% higher risk, a pharmacoepidemiologist at the University College London says. The findings do not suggest that gabapentinoids are unsafe and cannot be recommended. But medical professionals should be careful when prescribing it with other medications.
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Such medicines are being used more often as substitutes for opioids for pain relief purposes, scientists claim. Today, these are the seventh most prescribed drugs in the United States, whereas globally, the use of gabapentinoids increased by over four times from 2008 to 2018.
In the current study, researchers analyzed data on almost 17,000 individuals using gabapentinoids, who were admitted at least once to hospitals due to drug poisoning in the United Kingdom. Participants comprised less than 2% of all patients using gabapentinoids prescribed between 2010 and 2020. Signs of poisoning with medication may include coma, respiratory distress, and convulsions, according to scientists.
Almost nine out of ten (89%) patients consumed opioids together with gabapentinoids at some point throughout the study, whereas over half (55%) used benzos with gabapentinoids, scientists of the Mayo Clinic found.
The highest rate of drug poisoning was detected within the 90 days before prescribing gabapentinoids to patients, meaning that doctors started to prescribe these drugs because they were afraid of their patients’ misuse of opioids and benzos, researchers said.
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Disclaimer:
This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting or changing any medication or treatment.