Risks of mixing gabapentin or pregabalin with opioids
Gabapentinoid/opioid mixtures: abuse and toxicity
This project will find out whether taking gabapentin or pregabalin together with opioids raises the chance of overdose and other harms for people who use opioids.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Science Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Antonio, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11264786 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient’s point of view, researchers will combine medical records, prescription histories, toxicology and autopsy reports to see how often gabapentinoids occur with opioid overdoses. They will analyze patterns of co-use and may test biological samples to understand how these drugs interact in the body. The work uses existing human data and samples rather than a treatment trial. Findings aim to clarify whether gabapentinoids increase overdose risk when mixed with opioids.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People prescribed gabapentin or pregabalin, people who use prescription or illicit opioids, and families or medical examiners connected to overdose cases would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: Patients who do not use opioids or gabapentinoids, or whose health issues are unrelated to drug interactions, are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors and regulators make safer prescribing rules and warnings that reduce overdose deaths involving gabapentinoids and opioids.
How similar studies have performed: Prior epidemiology and toxicology studies have often found gabapentinoids present in opioid overdose deaths but have not definitively shown how much they cause extra risk, so this research builds on those findings.
Where this research is happening
San Antonio, United States
- University of Texas Hlth Science Center — San Antonio, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hiranita, Takato — University of Texas Hlth Science Center
- Study coordinator: Hiranita, Takato
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.