Gabapentin has become one of the nation's most commonly prescribed drugs in recent years, and some physicians are calling for greater scrutiny. According to the New York Times, each year nearly 6 million older adults are prescribed gabapentin, which was originally approved to treat epileptic seizures, for a wide array of conditions including arthritis, lower back pain, post-surgery pain, and fibromyalgia. Some physicians, however, believe that gabapentin is often inappropriately prescribed, and can lead to additional over-prescribing to manage the drug's side effects. The drug is also known to increase fall risk in some older patients.
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