Carbamazepine Tablets

Category: Anticonvulsant / Mood stabilizer
Form: Oral tablets (also available as chewable, extended-release, and suspension forms)

Uses:

• Epilepsy: management of partial seizures, generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and mixed seizure patterns.

• Trigeminal neuralgia: relief of nerve pain in the face.

• Bipolar disorder: used as a mood stabilizer, especially in patients not responding to lithium.

• Sometimes used for neuropathic pain conditions.

Mechanism of Action:

• Carbamazepine blocks voltage-gated sodium channels in neurons.

• Stabilizes hyperexcited nerve membranes and reduces repetitive neuronal firing.

• Decreases the spread of seizure activity and helps control abnormal nerve signals.

Administration:

• Taken orally, with dosing adjusted gradually to minimize side effects.

• Extended-release tablets allow more stable blood levels and once/twice-daily dosing.

• Dose depends on age, condition treated, and patient response.

Side Effects:

• Common: dizziness, drowsiness, unsteadiness, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision.

• Neurological: headache, confusion, double vision, poor coordination.

• Hematologic: rare but serious effects like low white blood cells (leukopenia), aplastic anemia.

• Dermatologic: rash, itching; in rare cases, severe skin reactions (Stevens–Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis), more common in certain genetic backgrounds (e.g., HLA-B*1502 allele).

• Other: liver enzyme elevation, low sodium (hyponatremia).

Precautions:

• Requires regular blood tests (complete blood count, liver function, kidney function, and electrolytes).

• Genetic testing (HLA-B*1502) recommended in certain Asian populations before starting therapy to reduce risk of severe skin reactions.

• Avoid in pregnancy if possible due to risk of birth defects, though may be necessary if seizures are severe.

• May reduce effectiveness of oral contraceptives.

• Numerous drug interactions due to enzyme induction (speeds up metabolism of many drugs).

Summary:
Carbamazepine Tablets are an anticonvulsant and mood stabilizer widely used for epilepsy, trigeminal neuralgia, and bipolar disorder. By stabilizing nerve activity, it prevents seizures and nerve pain. While effective, it requires careful monitoring due to risks of blood disorders, severe skin reactions, and drug interactions.