Gabapentin Taper Guidelines for Elderly Patients

Evidence-Based Taper Strategies

For elderly patients on lower doses (≤900 mg/day), a 2-4 week taper with 25% dose reductions weekly may be adequate, as recommended by the Mayo Clinic Proceedings 1
Renal function assessment is mandatory in elderly patients, and gabapentin dosing adjustments should be guided by calculating creatinine clearance using the Cockcroft-Gault equation, according to the Mayo Clinic Proceedings 2
Polypharmacy concerns should be considered in elderly patients, as multiple CNS-active medications may complicate withdrawal, as noted by the Mayo Clinic Proceedings 3 and the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) 4

Elderly females are at increased risk of falls due to withdrawal symptoms such as dizziness, confusion, and akathisia, highlighting the need for careful monitoring and management, as reported by the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) 4