Bolsonaro Cites Drug-Induced Hallucination as Doctors Halt Pregabalin

Overview

• At a custody hearing, Jair Bolsonaro said a hallucination and a sense of persecution after taking pregabalin and sertraline led him to try to tamper with his electronic ankle monitor, and he denied any intent to flee.
• His medical team reported that pregabalin was prescribed by another doctor without their consent, that it was immediately suspended, and that he is clinically stable under ongoing monitoring.
• The doctors flagged recognized interaction risks between pregabalin and Bolsonaro’s regular treatments for hiccups, clorpromazine and gabapentin, which can affect mental status.
• Drug leaflets for pregabalin and sertraline list hallucinations as an uncommon adverse effect occurring in roughly 0.1% to 1% of patients.
• Psychiatrists say the sertraline–pregabalin combination is commonly used and generally safe, though rare episodes of confusion or altered perception can occur, especially early in treatment, at higher doses, or in vulnerable individuals; some experts suggest clinical investigation to clarify causation.