Prescription:

Tegretol (Carbamazepine) belongs to a class of medications called anticonvulsants, which are primarily used to treat seizures in certain types of epilepsy. Tegretol (Carbamazepine) is also commonly used to treat severe nerve pain that is seen with conditions like trigeminal neuralgia and diabetic neuropathy. In addition, it can be used for some mental conditions such as acute mania or bipolar disorder.

Why is this drug prescribed?

This drug contains the active ingredient carbamazepine, which is a drug that is mainly used to treat epilepsy. It works by stabilising electrical activity in the brain. The brain and nerves are made up of many nerve cells that communicate with each other through electrical signals. These signals must be carefully regulated for the brain and nerves to function properly. When abnormally rapid and repetitive electrical signals are released in the brain, the brain becomes over-stimulated and normal function is disturbed. This results in fits or seizures. Carbamazepine prevents epileptic fits by preventing the excessive electrical activity in the brain. It is thought to achieve this by preventing sodium from entering nerve cells when they begin to fire rapid and repetitive electrical signals. A build up of sodium in the nerve cells is necessary for the electrical signal to build up and be passed on to other nerve cells. As carbamazepine prevents this, it helps stabilise the electrical activity in the brain. Preventing the build-up of the electrical signal also prevents the release of a neurotransmitter called glutamate from the nerve cells in the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that are stored in nerve cells and are involved in transmitting messages between the nerve cells. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter that acts as a natural 'nerve-exciting' agent. It is released when electrical signals build up in nerve cells and subsequently excites more nerve cells. It is thought to play a key role in causing epileptic seizures. Reducing the release of glutamate from the nerve cells in the brain is another way in which carbamazepine is thought to help stabilise the electrical activity in the brain and prevent epileptic fits. As carbamazepine stabilises electrical nerve activity, it is also used to treat a condition called trigeminal neuralgia, in which the facial nerves spontaneously send messages of pain to the brain. Carbamazepine prevents the nerve signals being sent inappropriately and relieves the pain of this condition. Lastly, carbamazepine is used as a mood stabiliser for treating people with the psychiatric illness, bipolar affective disorder. It is licensed for preventing episodes of ill health in people with bipolar disorder who have not responded to the older mood stabiliser, lithium. It is particularly useful for people who experience multiple mood swings. Carbamazepine is also used off-license by specialists to control episodes of mania in this illness. It is not fully understood how carbamazepine works as a mood stabiliser, but is thought to be to do with the reduction of glutamate activity in the brain.

Treatments

* Generalised tonic-clonic seizures * Mood stabiliser to prevent episodes of high and low mood in bipolar affective disorder * Partial seizures * Severe pain in the lips, gums, cheek, chin or eye caused by a disorder of the nerves in the face * Treatment of acute manic episodes in bipolar affective disorder

What side effects can this drug cause?

* Headache * Blurred vision * Dry mouth * Drowsiness * Blood disorders * Disturbances of the gut such as diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain * Weight gain * Alteration in results of liver function tests * False perceptions of things that are not really there * Retention of water in the body tissues * Dizziness * Severe blistering skin reaction affecting the tissues of the eyes, mouth, throat and genitals. * Shaky movements and unsteady walk * Allergic skin reactions * Double vision * Liver or kidney disorders * Abnormal involuntary movements