The use of pregabalin without prescription

Objective. Interest to pregabalin can be explained by the fact that the drug is purchased without prescription and used in nonmedical purposes. Authors performed the identification of pregabalin in the biological material (urine) of 16 364 patients. Material and methods. Psychoactive substances were identified in a chemical-toxicological laboratory of a narcological dispensary in the Krasnodar region. Results and conclusion. Pregabalin was identified only in 0.1% of the patients. In all cases it was not used for the first time. Most often pregabalin was used to relieve abstinent syndrome in different types of addictions. The mechanisms of its action in these cases and potential danger of using without prescription are considered.