Premedication With Oral Pregabalin for the Prevention of Acute Postsurgical Pain in Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

BACKGROUND: For coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) sternotomy should be performed. The pain after surgery is severe and requires medical intervention. Use of the analgesics is limited by their side effects and studies suggest that prevention with some medications before surgery is effective in controlling the postoperative pain. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the efficacy of pregabalin administration before surgery in the treatment of acute postoperative pain after CABG surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty patients indicated for elective CABG surgery were randomly allocated to two groups. One group received placebo and the other received 150 mg of oral pregabalin before surgery. Heart rates, blood pressure, respiratory rate, intensive care unit (ICU) stay duration, morphine consumption, and pain score according to the visual analog scale (VAS) were measured and recorded at 4, 12, and 24 hours of surgery. RESULTS: Pregabalin consumption did not alter hemodynamic parameters and was safe in patients after CABG. Its consumption was associated with significant reduction in the pain score (P values were 0.035, 0.026, and 0.047 respectively at 4, 12, and 24 hours of surgery). Its use was not associated with changes in the morphine consumption at 4, 12, and 24 hours of surgery (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Premedication with studied dose of pregabalin is effective for the prevention of postoperative pain in patients after CABG and has no adverse effects. Trials with other treating schedule and doses of the drug should be performed to determine the best treatment plan.