Baclofen

Brand Names

Lioresal, Lioresal Intrathecal, Gablofen

What is Baclofen

Baclofen is a muscle relaxant and antispastic using to prevent spasticity and is under investigation for the treatment of alcoholism. It is related to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). It comes in oral and injectable forms.

Side effects of Baclofen

There is a row of severe side effects after Baclofen intake:

• seizure (convulsions)
• confusion, hallucinations
• an uneven heartbeat

If you have an allergic reaction to baclofen such as: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue or throat, you should consult with your doctor.

The other baclofen side effects may include:

drowsiness, dizziness, weakness, tired feeling

headache

sleep problems (insomnia)

nausea, constipation

urinating more often than usual

Indication

Baclofen is intended to treat spasticity. Spasticity is the continual contraction of muscles, it can result in pain and loss of function and can interfere with walking, speaking and movement. Spasticity usually appears in a consequence of damage of the brain or the spinal cord.

Baclofen comes in tablet form and as an intrathecal infusion. Unlike tablets, intrathecal infusion provides baclofen directly to the spinal cord.

Baclofen tablets are used to cure spasticity as a result of multiple sclerosis (MS) or spinal cord injury or disease.

Precautions

Discuss the safeness of baclofen with your doctor, because you may have withdrawal symptoms (seizures or hallucinations) if you stop taking baclofen suddenly. You should temporally decrease your dose until you completely finish the treatment, because you may have a risk of developing an ovarian cyst.

Inform your doctor if you are pregnant or want to become pregnant. There is a high probability that this medicine can cause addiction or withdrawal symptoms during pregnancy. You may have a risk to harm a nursing baby if you take baclofen during breast-feeding period. A child younger than 12 years old shouldn’t use this medication.

During the treatment alcohol consumption is not recommended, it can increase severe side effects of baclofen. Baclofen may slow down your reactions and feelings, you should be very careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

You should not take baclofen if you are allergic to it or if you have a kidney disease; epilepsy; a history of stroke or blood clots.

Dosage forms

The dose of baclofen depends on such factors as:

• how you respond to baclofen
• other medications you are taking
• other medical conditions you may have

Oral Baclofen Dosage

The dose of baclofen can be different for different people. In general, people start with a low baclofen dose and then increase it as follows:

Days	Baclofen dose
Days 1 through 3	5 mg 3 times a day
Days 4 through 6	10 mg 3 times a day
Days 7 through 9	15 mg 3 times a day
Days 10 through 12	20 mg 3 times a day