ISSN:
1432-1041
Keywords:
Plasma levels
;
carbamazepine
;
carbamazepine-10
;
11-epoxide
;
chronic treatment
;
psychomotor epilepsy
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Summary Carbamazepine and its epoxide in plasma were measured by liquid chromatography in 25 patients treated with a mean dose of carbamazepine of 12.5±3.3 mg/kg body weight. The mean concentrations of parent drug and metabolite were 5.4±2.5 µg/ml and 1.10±0.42 µg/ml, respectively. A significant correlation was found between the plasma concentrations of the two compounds (r=0.64; p〈0.001), but marked interindividual variation existed in the ratio of carbamazepine to epoxide. Based on simultaneous measurements in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid, the unbound fraction of carbamazepine in plasma was of the order of 20% as compared to 45% for the epoxide. Thirteen ambulant patients suffering from partial epilepsy with complex symptomatology, who were already being treated with phenytoin in optimal doses (plasma level 14–20 µg/ml) were also given carbamazepine. At plasma levels of the latter of about 5 µg/ml there was no further reduction in the frequency of partial or generalized epileptic seizures. In five patients the dose was increased to produce plasma concentrations of 7 – 8 µg/ml. There was still no improvement and side-effects were seen in three patients.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00606558
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