CARBAMAZEPINE (Page 6 of 8)
Treatment
The prognosis in cases of severe poisoning is critically dependent upon prompt elimination of the drug, which may be achieved by inducing vomiting, irrigating the stomach, and by taking appropriate steps to diminish absorption. If these measures cannot be implemented without risk on the spot, the patient should be transferred at once to a hospital, while ensuring that vital functions are safeguarded. There is no specific antidote.
Elimination of the Drug: Induction of vomiting. Gastric lavage. Even when more than 4 hours have elapsed following ingestion of the drug, the stomach should be repeatedly irrigated, especially if the patient has also consumed alcohol.
Measures to Reduce Absorption: Activated charcoal, laxatives.
Measures to Accelerate Elimination: Forced diuresis. Dialysis is indicated only in severe poisoning associated with renal failure. Replacement transfusion is indicated in severe poisoning in small children.
Respiratory Depression: Keep the airways free; resort, if necessary, to endotracheal intubation, artificial respiration, and administration of oxygen.
Hypotension, Shock: Keep the patient’s legs raised and administer a plasma expander. If blood pressure fails to rise despite measures taken to increase plasma volume, use of vasoactive substances should be considered.
Convulsions: Diazepam or barbiturates.
Warning: Diazepam or barbiturates may aggravate respiratory depression (especially in children), hypotension, and coma. However, barbiturates should not be used if drugs that inhibit monoamine oxidase have also been taken by the patient either in overdosage or in recent therapy (within 1 week).
Surveillance: Respiration, cardiac function (ECG monitoring), blood pressure, body temperature, pupillary reflexes, and kidney and bladder function should be monitored for several days.
Treatment of Blood Count Abnormalities: If evidence of significant bone marrow depression develops, the following recommendations are suggested: (1) stop the drug, (2) perform daily CBC, platelet, and reticulocyte counts, (3) do a bone marrow aspiration and trephine biopsy immediately and repeat with sufficient frequency to monitor recovery.
Special periodic studies might be helpful as follows: (1) white cell and platelet antibodies, (2) 59 Fe-ferrokinetic studies, (3) peripheral blood cell typing, (4) cytogenetic studies on marrow and peripheral blood, (5) bone marrow culture studies for colony-forming units, (6) hemoglobin electrophoresis for A2 and F hemoglobin, and (7) serum folic acid and B12 levels.
A fully developed aplastic anemia will require appropriate, intensive monitoring and therapy, for which specialized consultation should be sought.
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION
(SEE TABLE BELOW):
Carbamazepine oral suspension in combination with liquid chlorpromazine or thioridazine results in precipitate formation, and, in the case of chlorpromazine, there has been a report of a patient passing an orange rubbery precipitate in the stool following coadministration of the two drugs (see PRECAUTIONS, Drug Interactions). Because the extent to which this occurs with other liquid medications is not known, carbamazepine oral suspension should not be administered simultaneously with other liquid medications or diluents. Monitoring of blood levels has increased the efficacy and safety of anticonvulsants (see PRECAUTIONS, Laboratory Tests). Dosage should be adjusted to the needs of the individual patient. A low initial daily dosage with a gradual increase is advised. As soon as adequate control is achieved, the dosage may be reduced very gradually to the minimum effective level. Medication should be taken with meals.
Since a given dose of carbamazepine oral suspension will produce higher peak levels than the same dose given as the tablet, it is recommended to start with low doses (children 6 to 12 years: 1/2 teaspoon four times a day) and to increase slowly to avoid unwanted side effects.
Conversion of patients from oral carbamazepine tablets to carbamazepine oral suspension: Patients should be converted by administering the same number of mg per day in smaller, more frequent doses (i.e., twice a day tablets to three times a day suspension).
Epilepsy
(see INDICATIONS AND USAGE).
Adults and children over 12 years of age — Initial:
1 teaspoon four times a day for suspension (400 mg/day). Increase at weekly intervals by adding up to 200 mg/day using a three times a day or four times a day regimen of the suspension until the optimal response is obtained. Dosage generally should not exceed 1000 mg daily in children 12 to 15 years of age, and 1200 mg daily in patients above 15 years of age. Doses up to 1600 mg daily have been used in adults in rare instances. Maintenance: Adjust dosage to the minimum effective level, usually 800 to 1200 mg daily.
Children 6 to 12 years of age — Initial: 1/2 teaspoon four times a day for suspension (200 mg/day). Increase at weekly intervals by adding up to 100 mg/day using a three times a day or four times a day regimen of the suspension until the optimal response is obtained. Dosage generally should not exceed 1000 mg daily. Maintenance: Adjust dosage to the minimum effective level, usually 400 to 800 mg daily.
Children under 6 years of age — Initial: 10 to 20 mg/kg/day four times a day as suspension. Increase weekly to achieve optimal clinical response administered three times a day or four times a day. Maintenance: Ordinarily, optimal clinical response is achieved at daily doses below 35 mg/kg. If satisfactory clinical response has not been achieved, plasma levels should be measured to determine whether or not they are in the therapeutic range. No recommendation regarding the safety of carbamazepine for use at doses above 35 mg/kg/24 hours can be made.
Combination Therapy: Carbamazepine oral suspension may be used alone or with other anticonvulsants. When added to existing anticonvulsant therapy, the drug should be added gradually while the other anticonvulsants are maintained or gradually decreased, except phenytoin, which may have to be increased (see PRECAUTIONS, Drug Interactions, and Pregnancy).
Trigeminal Neuralgia (see INDICATIONS AND USAGE)
Initial: On the first day, 1/2 teaspoonful four times a day for suspension, for a total daily dose of 200 mg. This daily dose may be increased by up to 200 mg/day using increments of 50 mg (1/2 teaspoon) four times a day for suspension, only as needed to achieve freedom from pain.
Do not exceed 1200 mg daily. Maintenance: Control of pain can be maintained in most patients with 400 to 800 mg daily. However, some patients may be maintained on as little as 200 mg daily, while others may require as much as 1200 mg daily. At least once every 3 months throughout the treatment period, attempts should be made to reduce the dose to the minimum effective level or even to discontinue the drug.
| Initial Dose | Subsequent Dose | Maximum Daily Dose | |
| Indication | Suspension | Suspension | Suspension |
| Epilepsy Under 6 yr | 10 — 20 mg/kg/day 4 times a day | Increase weekly to achieve optimal clinical response, 3 times a day or 4 times a day | 35 mg/kg/24 hr (see Dosage and Administration section above) |
| 6–12 yr | 1/2 tsp 4 times a day (200 mg/day) | Add up to 1 tsp (100 mg)/day at weekly intervals, 3 times a day or 4 times a day | 1000 mg/24 hr |
| Over 12 yr | 1 tsp 4 times a day (400 mg/day) | Add up to 2 tsp (200 mg)/day at weekly intervals, 3 times a day or 4 times a day | 1000 mg/24 hr (12–15 yr) 1200 mg/24 hr (>15 yr) 1600 mg/24 hr (adults, in rare instances) |
| Trigeminal Neuralgia | 1/2 tsp 4 times a day (200 mg/day) | Add up to 2 tsp (200 mg)/day in increments of 50 mg (1/2 tsp) 4 times a day | 1200 mg/24 hr |
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