Carbamazepine
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Reactions 434 - 16 Jan 1993 Carbamazepine Asterixis: 4 case reports Three women and 1 man, aged 21-63 years, requiring treatment for mania (n = 2) or schizophrenic psychosis (2), developed asterixis during 7-13 days’ treatment with carbamazepine 200-800 mg/day. Concomitant medications included clozapine (n = 2), lithium (2), haloperidol decanoate (1), or thioridazine (1). Asterixis resolved a few days after carbamazepine withdrawal (n = 2) or after dosage reduction (2). One patient received a further trial with carbamazepine and, in another, the dose was increased; in both, asterixis reappeared after several days’ treatment. Author comment: ‘In our patients, asterixis seems to have been brought on by an interaction of psychotropic agents, with CBZ [carbamazepine] being the efficient trigger. Because CBZ is almost always used in combination with other psychotropic agents during psychiatric treatment, it seems important to stress the possibility of addition or even potentiation of neurotoxic action, even if each drug is administered in low to moderate dosage.’ Rittmannsberger H, et al. Asterixis induced by carbamazepine therapy. Biological Psychiatry 32: 364-368, 15 Aug 1992 - Austria 800173470 1 Reactions 16 Jan 1993 No. 434 0114-9954/10/0434-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved
Transcript of Carbamazepine
Reactions 434 - 16 Jan 1993
Carbamazepine
Asterixis: 4 case reportsThree women and 1 man, aged 21-63 years, requiring
treatment for mania (n = 2) or schizophrenic psychosis (2),developed asterixis during 7-13 days’ treatment withcarbamazepine 200-800 mg/day. Concomitant medicationsincluded clozapine (n = 2), lithium (2), haloperidol decanoate(1), or thioridazine (1).
Asterixis resolved a few days after carbamazepinewithdrawal (n = 2) or after dosage reduction (2). One patientreceived a further trial with carbamazepine and, in another, thedose was increased; in both, asterixis reappeared after severaldays’ treatment.
Author comment: ‘In our patients, asterixis seems to havebeen brought on by an interaction of psychotropic agents, withCBZ [carbamazepine] being the efficient trigger. Because CBZ isalmost always used in combination with other psychotropicagents during psychiatric treatment, it seems important tostress the possibility of addition or even potentiation ofneurotoxic action, even if each drug is administered in low tomoderate dosage.’Rittmannsberger H, et al. Asterixis induced by carbamazepine therapy. BiologicalPsychiatry 32: 364-368, 15 Aug 1992 - Austria 800173470
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Reactions 16 Jan 1993 No. 4340114-9954/10/0434-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved
