Increases in ambulance call outs for pregabalin (Lyrica)

Last year, The Conversation published an article titled "Ambulance call-outs for pregabalin have spiked - here’s why”. Pregabalin (which is sold under the brand name Lyrica) is usually prescribed for nerve pain or as an anti-apileptic. The article refers to a research report published in the Medical Journal of Australia that found a ten-fold increase in pregabalin related ambulance attendance since 2012 in Victoria. There has been an increase in so-called "off-label" prescribing, where pregabalin is prescribed for other conditions like chronic pain, despite there being limited evidence to support this. Using pregabalin in combination with other substances (in particular central nervous system depressants like alcohol) can increase the risk of overdose. 

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