I have Restless Legs Syndrome and have been prescribed 600 mg of Gabapentin once a day starting at 5:00pm. Would Horizant be better for my RLS or would a higher dose of Gabapentin work okay?
Thank you and best wishes, Tanja
What is the difference between Horizant and Gabapentin?
Question posted by tanjajp8 on 20 Sep 2016
Last updated on 26 October 2016 by suzanne66
Answers
suzanne66
27 Oct 2016
Horizant is a brand-name version of gabapentin, which is also known as Neurontin, and is used to treat patients with moderate to severe Restless Leg Syndrome, RLS and postherpetic neuralgia.
The main advantage of Horizant is that it is a “pro-drug”of gabapentin. Technically it’s gabapentin enacarbil, and the “enacarbil” refers to a molecule added to the drug which allows it to be absorbed along the entire GI tract, resulting in greater blood levels for a longer period of time. The recommended dosage for RLS is Horizant 600mg once daily at about 5pm.
The problem with gabapentin is that its bioavailability (the proportion of drug that enters the bloodstream when taken as an oral dose) is rather low and the duration of its action is quite short, which means that users need to take this drug three or four times daily compared to once daily dosage with Horizant.
Because of the improved pharmacokinetics and bioavailability Horizant is a better choice for RLS than gabapentin.
Horizant and other gabapentin products are not interchangeable because of differing pharmacokinetic profiles.
Related topics
Further information
- Horizant uses and safety info
- Horizant prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Horizant (detailed)
Similar questions
Search for questions
Still looking for answers? Try searching for what you seek or ask your own question.
