THE AUTO-INDUCTION OF CARBAMAZEPINE DURING LONG-TERM THERAPY

Abstract

Healthy male volunteers during regular therapy of carbamazepine had a statistically significant decrease in their plasma drug levels during 28 days. The same phenomenon was registered in epileptic patients in the course of their long-term monotherapy with carbamazepine. In volunteers or in epileptics, statistically significant change in the plasma levels of carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide did not occur. Wide fluctuations between the fasting and peak plasma levels of carbamazepine were found in epileptics. The fasting and peak plasma levels of the drug did not correlate in a statistically significant degree with the daily dose of carbamazepine.