Trileptal

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved oxcarbazepine (Trileptal) for the treatment of partial seizures as monotherapy in adults and as adjunctive treatment in children between four and 16 years of age.

Oxcarbazepine is available in tablets of 150 mg, 300 mg and 600 mg. In adults, adjunctive treatment should be initiated with a dosage of 600 mg two times per day. When converting to monotherapy, adults should be given 600 mg per day while simultaneously reducing the dose of the concomitant antiepileptic medications. Children should receive 8 to 10 mg per kg per day, not to exceed 600 mg two times per day.

Adverse events associated with the use of oxcarbazepine include cognitive symptoms such as psychomotor slowing, difficulty with concentration and speech or language problems; somnolence or fatigue; and coordination abnormalities, including ataxia and gait disturbances. Patients who are hypersensitive to carbamazepine should be told that approximately 25 to 30 percent of these patients may experience hypersensitivity to oxcarbazepine. The medication may also render hormonal contraceptives less effective.

COPYRIGHT 2000 American Academy of Family Physicians
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group