Carbamazepine is one the most important antiepileptic agents. It is more or equally as effective as phenytoin or valproic acid for generalized tonic-clonic seizures and focal seizures with partial and complex symptomatology. It is also effective in children with varied forms of seizures. Single drug therapy or combi-nations with other antiepileptic agents are possible. Carbamazepine does not have much effect on absences and myoclonic seizures.

Carbamazepine is the drug of choice for trigeminal neuralgia (and the infrequent glossopharyngeal neuralgia). In approximately 70% of the patients an alleviation of pain occurs within 24 to 72 hours. If necessary the treatment can be upheld for months or years; a combination with phenytoin is possible.

Carbamazepine can be substituted for or combined with lithium for a success-ful treatment of manic-depressive psychoses. It has proved equally effective as benzodiazepines in the therapy of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Carbamazepine is effective on diabetes insipidus thanks to its antidiuretic properties.

Various symptoms of multiple sclerosis (pain, paroxysmal ataxias, or pareses), as well as excitation with aggressivity (e.g. in schizophrenics), pain related to diabetic neuropathy, as well as post-herpetic neuralgia sometimes respond to carba-mazepine.

Table of Contents | Pharmacology | Adverse Reactions & Interactions | Contraindications & Cautions | Risk Groups | References