Description
Carbamazepine is a drug commonly indicated as first-line therapy for simple partial, complex partial, and general tonic-clonic seizures. Carbamazepine is also approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for trigeminal neuralgia, bipolar disorder, neuropathic pain, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Among anti-epileptic drugs involved in toxic ingestion, carbamazepine is the second most common, after valproic acid. Acute carbamazepine toxicity presents with cardiac (hypertension, hypotension, tachycardia, and cardiac conduction delays), respiratory depression, and neurologic (loss of consciousness, seizures, ataxia, choreoathetosis, myoclonus, motor restlessness, opisthotonus, mydriasis, and nystagmus) effects.
Indications
Measurement of carbamazepine level is performed to ensure concentrations within therapeutic range and avoid drug toxicity.
Sample Type, Quantity & Conditions
1 ml Serum 1 ml K2-EDTA or Li, Na-Heparin Stability: 24 Hours at Room Temperature 7 Days at 2-8 °C > 7 Days at -20 °C
Special Precautions
Time to reach peak serum concentration is 4-8 Hrs after dose administration. Avoid haemolysed samples. Avoid more than 3 freeze/thaw cycles.
Normal Range
Therapeutic Range: 4.0-12.0 µg/mL Toxic Level: > 12.0 µg/mL
