title: Acute oral loading of carbamazepine-CR and phenytoin in a double-blind randomized study of patients at risk of seizures.
abstract: The serum levels and side effects of an acute oral loading dose-schedule of carbamazepine (CBZ) divitabs [CBZ controlled release (CR)] and phenytoin (PHT) were assessed in patients at risk of seizures. CBZ-CR and PHT were administered to 42 adult patients (21 each) at a dosage of 20 mg/kg with a minimum and maximum dosage of 1,200 and 1,600 mg in patients weighting < 60 and > 80 kg, respectively. CBZ-CR was given as single loading dose; PHT was split, with two thirds of the dose administered at 0 h and one third administered 2 h later. The 24- and 36-h doses were assessed according to the nystagmus status at 24 h. Mean CBZ serum levels (percentage of subjects with level > 4 micrograms/ml shown in parentheses) were 0.0 (0%), 5.2 (62%), 6.7 (81%), 6.8 (95%), and 6.1 micrograms/ml (95%) at 0, 4, 8, 24, and 48 h after loading, respectively, and mean PHT levels (percentage of subjects with PHT level > 10 micrograms/ml in parentheses) were 0.1 (0%), 13.2 (86%), 16.3 (100%), 16.3 (100%), and 15.4 micrograms/ml (82%). One subject in the CBZ group and 3 in the PHT group vomited. Clinical effects did not differ significantly between treatment groups and are reported. Acute doses of CBZ-CR 20 mg/kg and PHT 20 mg/kg (two-thirds at 0 h and one-third at 2 h) provided therapeutic levels in most patients in < or = 4 h and were well tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of the Orange Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Van Der Meyden
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Kruger
authors.forename: F O
authors.initials: FO
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rabie
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schall
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001835:Body Weight; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000494:pharmacology; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D002220:Carbamazepine; D010672:Phenytoin