Adverstisement
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Carbamazepine
 

Dosing and titration

Rashes that may be more serious are more likely to occur in persons with a particular gene called “HLA-B*1502”. This gene occurs almost exclusively in patients with ancestry across broad areas of Asia, including South Asian Indians. Patients with ancestry from these areas should have a blood test to see if they have the “HLA-B*1502” gene before starting treatment. Further Information for Healthcare Professionals Related to this Topic:
http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/InfoSheets/HCP/carbamazepineHCP.htm

Carbamazepine should be started at 100-200 mg per day and titrated by increments of 100-200 mg every week or two as clinically needed. The average maintenance dose as monotherapy for adults is 600-1200 mg per day. In children over 6, the usual maintenance dose is 15-30 mg/kg per day. The dosage may need to be increased within a month of initiation due to autoinduction. (See Clinical pharmacology.)

Many people (especially children) need to take carbamazepine in three or four doses a day. The extended-release forms, Tegretol-XR and Carbatrol, are often preferable for patients who have trouble with compliance and for those whose blood levels fluctuate widely throughout the day.