What is Carbamazepine - Meaning and definition

Published by Roberto Wenk. Last updated date: June 10, 2016.

A tricyclic compound chemically related to tricyclic antidepressants (TCA) with anticonvulsant and analgesic properties. Carbamazepine exerts its anticonvulsant activity by reducing polysynaptic responses and blocking post-tetanic potentiation.
Its analgesic activity is not understood; however, carbamazepine is commonly used to treat pain associated with trigeminal neuralgia.

National Cancer Institute. NCI Drug Dictionary. Internet. September 15, 2009.

Published by Roberto Wenk. Reviewed by Alison Ramsey. Last updated date: September 23, 2018.

Adult
PO
Epilepsy - Initial: 100-200 mg once daily or bid, may increase gradually. Maintenance: 0.8-1.2 g/day in divided doses. Max: 2 g/day.
Trigeminal neuralgia - Initial: 100-200 mg bid, may increase gradually. Maintenance: 400-800 mg/day in divided doses. Max: 1.2 g/day.
Prophylaxis of bipolar disorder - Initial: 400 mg/day in divided doses, may increase gradually. Maintenance: 400-600 mg/day in divided doses. Max: 1.6 g/day.

Rectal
Epilepsy - Max: 250 mg 6 hrly for not more than 7 days.

Adverse drug reactions: dizziness, drowsiness, ataxia; nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, abdominal pain, anorexia. Diarrhoea or constipation; mild skin reactions, disturbances of cerebellar and oculo-motor function, transient leucopenia, eosinophilia, leucocytosis, thrombocytopaenia, lyphadenopathy, splenomegaly, pneumonitis, abonormalities of liver and kidney function, hyponatraemia, oedema; paraesthesia, headache, arrhythmias and heart block, impotence, male infertility, dystonias and dykinesias w/ asterixis.

CIMS Drug Information System. Internet. Accessed on January 10, 2016.

Carbamazepine

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