{"id":634681,"date":"2025-12-16T12:25:53","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T17:25:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=634681"},"modified":"2026-03-27T15:37:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T19:37:11","slug":"gabapentin-statistics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/gabapentin-statistics\/","title":{"rendered":"Gabapentin facts and statistics"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/gabapentin\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gabapentin<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a commonly prescribed medication. Originally developed as a muscle relaxant, it\u2019s now prescribed for a wide range of medical conditions. It\u2019s approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat nerve pain from a shingles infection and as an adjunctive (add-on) therapy for certain seizures in adults and children over 3 years old. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/off-label-prescription-drugs\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Off-label<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it can be recommended for people with fibromyalgia, anxiety, depression, and more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite its versatility, many people may not realize why gabapentin is prescribed or what risks and side effects come with long-term use. These key facts and statistics illustrate how many people use this drug and what experts and research say about its safety.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-is-gabapentin\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is gabapentin?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gabapentin is a prescription drug that treats many neurological conditions. In addition to managing nerve pain from a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/conditions\/shingles-treatment-and-medications\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">shingles<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> infection, it\u2019s also used as an anticonvulsant in children and adults with partial seizures. It is available in a generic as well as a brand-name version called <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/neurontin#coupons\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Neurontin<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the same indications as gabapentin.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gabapentin can also be used off-label, meaning for a reason not approved by the FDA. Off-label use can be safe under the guidance of a medical professional, but it\u2019s important to know that using a drug off-label may not have the same amount of research on safety or effectiveness when it\u2019s used for a non-FDA-approved reason. Despite this, gabapentin has quite a few off-label uses, some of which are supported by expert medical groups and research:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/nerve-pain-medication\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Neuropathic pain<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, including after herpes virus infections (postherpetic neuralgia) and diabetic neuropathy<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Partial seizures in people 60 and older with new-onset focal epilepsy<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moderate to severe <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/conditions\/restless-leg-syndrome-treatment-and-medications\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">restless leg syndrome<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (RLS)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Essential tremors and nerve pain in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/conditions\/parkinsons-symptoms\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Parkinson\u2019s disease<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Restlessness (akathisia) from taking certain antipsychotic or antidepressant medications<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chronic pain as in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/conditions\/fibromyalgia-treatment-and-medications\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fibromyalgia<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bipolar disorder<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reducing anxiety in anxiety disorders<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resistant depression<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/conditions\/alcohol-withdrawal-symptoms\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alcohol withdrawal syndrome<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pain management after operations<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Preventing migraines<\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/cystitis-vs-uti\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Interstitial cystitis (IC)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which is a chronic inflammation of the bladder tissues<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social phobia<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Generalized tonic-clonic seizures<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Itchiness<\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/conditions\/insomnia-treatment-and-medications\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Insomnia<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chronic cough<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hot flashes due to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/conditions\/menopause-treatment-and-medications\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">menopause\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Helping to manage opioid dependence\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the use of gabapentin to support substance abuse recovery, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/theohanahawaii.com\/about\/team1\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jeffrey Chester<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, DO, medical director at The Ohana Addiction Treatment Center in Kailua Kona, Hawaii, explains, \u201cSome physicians use it short-term to help manage opioid or alcohol withdrawal.\u201d Gabapentin has calming effects and can help with cravings. However, he says, \u201cCareful monitoring is required.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even though gabapentin has many uses, how it works is still not exactly known. It affects gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the nervous system, but it doesn\u2019t bind them directly. GABA is a neurotransmitter that has many functions, and yet gabapentin does not change the amount of GABA or its effects, either. Researchers are still trying to find out how exactly gabapentin and its related drug, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/pregabalin\/what-is\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pregabalin<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (generic Lyrica), work in the body.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>RELATED: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/lyrica-vs-gabapentin\/\"><b>Lyrica vs. gabapentin<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"gabapentin-prescription-statistics\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gabapentin prescription statistics<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some statistics and trends about gabapentin prescriptions in recent years:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prescriptions for gabapentin have increased by about 150% over the past 15 years. (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov\/drug_chem_info\/gabapentin.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Drug Enforcement Administration<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (DEA), 2025)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2024, there were more than 73 million prescriptions for gabapentin written. (DEA, 2025)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2023, gabapentin was the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/most-prescribed-drugs-2023\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">seventh-most filled prescription<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> through SingleCare.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From data up to 2016, people who were prescribed gabapentin were more likely to be female, between 55\u201365 years old, live in the Southern region of the U.S, and were more likely to fill opioid prescriptions. (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jmcp.org\/doi\/10.18553\/jmcp.2020.26.3.246\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Journal of Managed Care &amp; Specialty Pharmacy<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2020)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People prescribed gabapentin were more likely to have a seizure disorder, nerve pain, mental health disorders, substance use disorders, and diabetes. (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Journal of Managed Care &amp; Specialty Pharmacy<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2020)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"gabapentin-side-effects-data-and-frequency\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gabapentin side effects: Data and frequency<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gabapentin has several side effects, some of which can cause patients to stop the medication or switch treatments. Here are the most common <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dailymed.nlm.nih.gov\/dailymed\/drugInfo.cfm?setid=0936a88f-b569-49c4-951b-14e8f6273b53\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">side effects<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of gabapentin and how frequently they occurred in clinical trials for nerve pain due to shingles:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dizziness (28%)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sleepiness\/drowsiness (21%)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Swelling in hands or feet (8%)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diarrhea (6%)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weakness (6%)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Infection (5%)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dry mouth (5%)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThis medication can also cause dizziness and impaired coordination, which can be a serious issue for older adults taking it,\u201d Dr. Chester adds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In children 3 to 12 years old with epilepsy taking gabapentin, the following were the most common side effects and how often they occurred:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Viral infection (11%)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fever (10%)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nausea or vomiting (8%)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Drowsiness (8%)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hostility (8%)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a class=\"cta-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/resources\/epilepsy\"><b>Epilepsy Resources &amp; Coupons<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are serious side effects of gabapentin that patients, caregivers, and families should be aware of. First, gabapentin can lower the activity of the central nervous system (CNS), which can result in dizziness and sleepiness in mild cases. For this reason, it\u2019s not recommended to drive or operate machinery if patients don\u2019t know how gabapentin affects them. In more serious cases, gabapentin can suppress breathing (respiratory depression). Taking it together with other medications that cause respiratory depression increases the risk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gabapentin can also increase the risk of suicidal thoughts, so people with mood disorders may need to look out for worsening symptoms. \u201cLet your provider know about any severe side effects such as confusion, mood changes, rash, or breathing difficulties,\u201d says <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/neurowellnessspa.com\/about\/care-team\/kelly-hobbs-pmhnp-psychiatric-mental-health-nurse-practitioner\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kelly Hobbs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, PMHNP, psychiatric nurse practitioner at Neuro Wellness Spa in Pasadena, California.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mixing gabapentin with other medications that depress the nervous system can increase the risk of respiratory depression, Dr. Chester says. \u201cThis medication should not be mixed with opioids, benzodiazepines and other sedatives, and alcohol,\u201d he advises.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>RELATED: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/gabapentin-for-depression\/\"><b>Does gabapentin help with depression?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"gabapentin-misuse-and-abuse-statistics\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gabapentin misuse and abuse statistics<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gabapentin and pregabalin are drugs in the gabapentinoid drug class that are approved for treating seizures and nerve pain. Because they can be used to treat many different types of nerve pain, gabapentinoids may be prescribed alongside or instead of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/drug-classes\/opioids\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">opioid medications<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to reduce the potential for opioid dependence and abuse.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhile gabapentin is not a controlled substance, like any other drug, it can be abused or misused if taken more than prescribed,\u201d Hobbs says. Though gabapentin is considered non-addictive, it can increase the \u201chigh\u201d feeling when prescribed with opioid medication. This can be called misuse, that is, using a drug for something other than what it\u2019s prescribed for.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gabapentin isn\u2019t classified as a controlled substance federally, but it is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/is-gabapentin-a-controlled-substance\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">considered a Schedule V controlled substance<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, North Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Between 2016 and 2018, several states changed how gabapentin can be accessed in response to concerns about the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s11606-021-07314-2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">misuse and abuse of the drug<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. How that looks can be different in each state, according to Dr. Chester: \u201cIn some states, like Kentucky, gabapentin is considered to be a controlled substance, specifically a Schedule V controlled substance. Other states, like Indiana, track gabapentin prescriptions, although it\u2019s not considered to be a controlled substance.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s what you should know about the misuse and abuse of gabapentin:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gabapentin misuse overall was about 1% in 2016. However, that rate increased to 15%\u201322% among individuals who misuse opiates. (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1111\/add.13324\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Addiction<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2016)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In comparison, it\u2019s estimated that as many as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/news\/opioid-statistics\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">50% of people prescribed opioids<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> long-term meet the criteria for an opioid use disorder (OUD) diagnosis.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gabapentin can be misused orally, intravenously, or intranasally. (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cmaj.ca\/content\/191\/2\/E47\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Canadian Medical Association Journal<\/span><\/i><\/a> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(CMAJ)<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2019)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Doses of less than 900 mg per day are considered low doses of gabapentin; 900\u20131,799 mg\/day are considered moderate doses; and more than 1,800 mg\/day is considered a high dose. (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CMAJ<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2019)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Between 40% and 65% of people with gabapentin prescriptions misused them. (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Addiction<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2016)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Between 15% and 22% of people who abuse opioid drugs also misuse gabapentin. (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Addiction<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2016)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A survey of people in Kentucky found 15% of respondents used gabapentin just to get high. (DEA, 2025)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gabapentin may be diverted (given to people who weren\u2019t prescribed the drug) illegally for recreational use. There were 407 cases of diversion reported in 41 states between 2002 and 2015. (DEA, 2025)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cGabapentin misuse can also lead to drug dependence and may cause withdrawal symptoms if stopped abruptly,\u201d Hobbs says. Gabapentin withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, insomnia, nausea, pain, and sweating.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"gabapentin-overdose-and-mortality-statistics\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gabapentin overdose and mortality statistics<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The increase in gabapentin use and misuse also comes with reports of gabapentin overdose. Though the drug doesn\u2019t have a high risk of overdose, it can impact someone negatively, especially if they\u2019re misusing the drug or taking it illegally. Taking too much gabapentin can cause tremors, altered consciousness, and shallow breathing, which may require intubation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Especially when taken with other drugs, gabapentin can be dangerous:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the DEA, gabapentin was identified as a partial or single cause of 135 overdose deaths in 2020. (DEA, 2025)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, gabapentin may be a contributing factor more often than that. In the more than 62,000 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. between 2019 and 2020, about 10% of cases had gabapentin detected on the toxicology report, more than 5,600 cases. (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/mmwr\/volumes\/71\/wr\/mm7119a3.htm\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2022)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most gabapentin-involved deaths occurred in non-Hispanic White people and people between 35 and 54 years old. (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MMWR<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2022)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overdose deaths with gabapentin often had opioid involvement. About 85\u201390% of cases with gabapentin found on the toxicology report also had opioid involvement. (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MMWR<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2022)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking a moderate or high dose of gabapentin can increase someone\u2019s risk of opioid-related death by 60% compared to those taking opioids alone. (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CMAJ<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2019)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a study of older adults on Medicare, those taking high-dose opioids and gabapentin had a higher risk of death by any cause compared to those taking high-dose opioids with the antidepressant duloxetine. (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ascpt.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/cpt.3019\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clinical Pharmacology &amp; Therapeutics<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2023)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>RELATED: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/gabapentin-side-effects-in-elderly-patients\/\"><b>Gabapentin side effects in elderly patients<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"final-thoughts-on-gabapentin-use\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Final thoughts on gabapentin use<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/gabapentin\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gabapentin<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a frequently prescribed medication in the U.S., with more than 46 million prescriptions in 2024. Its many uses show how broadly it acts on the nervous system to treat nerve pain and other neurologic conditions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although gabapentin is generally well tolerated, there are knowledge gaps around its long-term safety and potential for abuse, which have only recently been investigated. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has begun tracking gabapentin\u2019s involvement in overdose deaths. Early data from the CDC\u2019s analysis and community surveys suggest the drug\u2019s misuse is most common among individuals with concurrent opioid use, which points to how health organizations and providers can better screen for gabapentin misuse and prevent harm in patients.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As gabapentin use continues to rise, safe prescribing and patient education are ways to help keep the treatment safe and effective. Some states have already started to regulate access to the drug, though it\u2019s still considered a non-addictive and well-tolerated drug federally.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, patients taking gabapentin should discuss the benefits and risks of the drug with their healthcare provider, including possible drug interactions, their risk for side effects, and how to take it safely. \u201cThis medication can be important for managing pain and certain neurological conditions, but only when used exactly as prescribed and under the supervision of a physician,\u201d Dr. Chester says. Always talk to your healthcare provider about any questions or concerns you may have about your treatment, and regularly follow up with them to make sure your treatment continues to work for you.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gabapentin is a commonly prescribed medication. Originally developed as a muscle relaxant, it\u2019s now prescribed for a wide range of medical conditions. It\u2019s approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat nerve pain from a shingles infection and as an adjunctive (add-on) therapy for certain seizures in adults and children over 3 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":149,"featured_media":634682,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4589],"tags":[808,16413],"coauthors":[21072],"class_list":["post-634681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drug-info","tag-pain-management","tag-singlecare-stats","wpautop"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Gabapentin facts and statistics 2026<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The anticonvulsant gabapentin is one of the most prescribed medications in the U.S., but it has potential for misuse. 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