Woman received six figure payout from NHS after she developed an addiction to Candy Crush from taking prescribed medication

A woman has received a six-figure compensation payout from the NHS after she developed an addiction to video puzzle game Candy Crush from taking a medication for restless leg syndrome.

The medicines – known as dopamine agonists – are known to cause impulse control disorders in up to 17 per cent of patients.

Last month, The Mail on Sunday revealed that a father of two who was prescribed the medication lost £100,000 after taking up online gambling.

The NHS agreed to cover his loses.

In the latest medical negligence payout associated with the drug, the unnamed woman from Essex last week received £170,000 after she became addicted to the game.

While it is free to play, customers can pay to advance through the levels faster or to make them easier to complete.

Restless leg syndrome affects up to 10 per cent of the population, leading to an unpleasant 'crawling' sensation in the legs, mostly at night, and an almost irresistible urge to move them.

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The woman first went to her GP in 2008 complaining of being unable to sleep because of her twitching legs and was diagnosed with the condition.

She was prescribed the dopamine agonist ropinirole before being put on another called pramipexole.

Within weeks she began to play Candy Crush obsessively.

She later developed an addiction to virtual slot machine games.

Now the NHS has admitted that her GP failed to warn her of the potential side-effects and prescribed her a dose of pramipexole which was twice the strength of the recommended amount.