| |
Back to Drug index
Name: Carbamazepine
Pregnancy Category C
Drug classes
Therapeutic actions
Mechanism of action not understood; antiepileptic activity may be
related
to its ability to inhibit polysynaptic responses and block post-tetanic
potentiation. Drug is chemically related to the tricyclic
antidepressants
(TCAs).
Indications
Refractory seizure disorders: partial seizures with complex symptoms
(psychomotor, temporal lobe epilepsy), generalized tonic-clonic (grand
mal) seizures, mixed seizure patterns or other partial or generalized
seizures (carbamazepine should be reserved for patients who have not
responded satisfactorily to other agents, whose seizures are difficult
to
control, or who are experiencing marked side effects, such as
excessive
sedation)
Trigeminal neuralgia (tic douloureux): treatment of pain associated
with
true trigeminal neuralgia; also beneficial in glossopharyngeal
neuralgia
Unlabeled uses: neurogenic diabetes insipidus; certain psychiatric
disorders, including bipolar disorders, schizoaffective illness,
resistant schizophrenia, and dyscontrol syndrome associated with
limbic
system dysfunction; alcohol withdrawal
Contraindications/cautions
Contraindicated in the presence of hypersensitivity to carbamazepine
or
tricyclic antidepressants; history of bone marrow depression;
concomitant use of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), lactation.
Use caution with history of adverse hematologic reaction to any drug
(may
be at increased risk of severe hematologic toxicity); glaucoma or
increased intraocular pressure; history of cardiac, hepatic, or renal
damage; psychiatric patients (may activate latent psychosis).
|
|
|
|
Are you a doctor or a nurse?
Do you want to join the Doctors Lounge online medical community?
Participate in editorial activities (publish, peer review, edit) and
give a helping hand to the largest online community of patients.
Click on the link below to see the requirements:
Doctors Lounge Membership
Application |
|
Adverse effects
- CNS: Dizziness, drowsiness, unsteadiness, disturbance of coordination,
confusion, headache, fatigue, visual hallu-cinations, depression with
agitation, behavioral changes in children, talkativeness, speech
disturbances, abnormal involuntary movements, paralysis and other
symptoms of cerebral arterial insufficiency, peripheral neuritis and
paresthesias, tinnitus, hyperacusis, blurred vision, transient
diplopia
and oculomotor disturbances, nystagmus, scattered punctate cortical
lens
opacities, conjunctivitis, ophthalmoplegia, fever, chills; syndrome of
inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH)
- GI: Nausea, vomiting, gastric distress, abdominal pain, diarrhea,
constipation, anorexia, dryness of mouth or pharynx, glossitis,
stomatitis; abnormal liver function tests, cholestatic and
hepatocellular
jaundice, fatal hepatitis, fatal massive hepatic cellular necrosis
with
total loss of intact liver tissue
- CV: Congestive heart faliure, aggravation of hypertension,
hypotension,
syncope and collapse, edema, primary thrombophlebitis, recurrence of
thrombophlebitis, aggravation of coronary artery disease, arrhythmias
and
AV block; fatal cardiovascular complications
- Respiratory: Pulmonary hypersensitivity characterized by fever,
dyspnea,
pneumonitis or pneumonia
- Hematologic: Potentially fatal hematologic disorders
- GU: Urinary frequency, acute urinary retention, oliguria with
hypertension, renal failure, azotemia, impotence, proteinuria,
gluycosuria, elevated BUN, microscopic deposits in urine
Dermatologic: Pruritic and erythematous rashes, urticaria,
Stevens-Johnson syndrome, photosensitivity reactions, alterations in
pigmentation, exfoliative dermatitis, alopecia, diaphoresis, erythema
multiforme and nodosum, purpura, aggravation of lupus erythematosus
|
|
send
to a friend
printer
friendly version
