Drug interactions
Brivaracetam + Levetiracetam
Severity: Moderate
Brivaracetam and Levetiracetam: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Both drugs bind to synaptic vesicle protein SV2A, so combining them offers little added anticonvulsant benefit and may increase somnolence, dizziness, irritability and other adverse effects.
What this interaction means in plain words
Brivaracetam and Levetiracetam can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Brivaracetam belongs to Central Nervous System; Levetiracetam belongs to Central Nervous System.
Why it happens
Shared SV2A target giving duplicate pharmacology and additive adverse CNS effects.
What to do
Avoid routine coadministration; when switching, taper levetiracetam as brivaracetam is started. If both are used, monitor for sedation and behavioral or mood changes.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
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Other interactions of Levetiracetam
Other interactions of Brivaracetam
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Brivaracetam with Levetiracetam?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Brivaracetam and Levetiracetam can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Both drugs bind to synaptic vesicle protein SV2A, so combining them offers little added anticonvulsant benefit and may increase somnolence, dizziness, irritability and other adverse effects.
How serious is the interaction between Brivaracetam and Levetiracetam?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Avoid routine coadministration; when switching, taper levetiracetam as brivaracetam is started. If both are used, monitor for sedation and behavioral or mood changes.
What other medicines interact with Levetiracetam?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Levetiracetam with, for example, Oliceridine, Opium tincture, Sodium oxybate. The full list is on the Levetiracetam page.
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