(Legend)

Generic Name

• Carbamazepine
  T½ = single dose = 25–65 h; chronic dosing = 8–29 h
  Pregnancy category D

Trade Name

• Tegretol
• Tegretol XR
• Equetro
• Epitol
• Apo-Carbamazepine
• Tegretol CR

Dose Range/Adult Daily Dose

• Start: 200 mg/d or 100 mg bid; increase weekly by 200 mg/d until therapeutic level/mania improvement. Equetro (Bipolar): 400 mg/d divided doses, twice daily up to 1600 mg/d

Use/Common Side Effects (CSE)

• Use: Bipolar I: Acute mania/mixed (Equetro); CSE: Ataxia, drowsiness, blurred vision. APLASTIC ANEMIA, AGRANULOCYTOSIS, THROMBOCYTOPENIA, STEVENS-JOHNSON SYNDROME (SJS)

Geriatric & Dose Considerations

• Use cautiously; CV/hepatic disease; BPH and increased intraocular pressure

Classification

• Anticonvulsant/mood stabilizer

Assessment Cautions

• Caution: Impaired liver/cardiac functions. Monitor CBC, platelets, reticulocytes. HLA-B* 1502 typing for those genetically at risk (Asians). Therpeutic Range (4–12 mg/mL).
  Sx of SJS: cough, FUO, mucosal lesions, rash; stop CBZ