Drug interactions
Carbamazepine + Lacosamide
Severity: Moderate
Carbamazepine and Lacosamide: 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 act on sodium channels, and their combination may add to cardiac conduction effects such as PR prolongation, AV block and bradyarrhythmias, along with dizziness and ataxia. Carbamazepine may also modestly lower lacosamide levels.
What this interaction means in plain words
Carbamazepine and Lacosamide 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.
Carbamazepine belongs to Central Nervous System; Lacosamide belongs to Central Nervous System.
Why it happens
Additive sodium channel blockade affects cardiac conduction and the CNS, and carbamazepine may modestly induce lacosamide metabolism.
What to do
Obtain an ECG before starting lacosamide and once steady state is reached, especially in patients with conduction disease. Watch for dizziness, ataxia and loss of seizure control.
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 Carbamazepine
- Artemether / lumefantrine + Carbamazepine Contraindicated
- Cabotegravir + Carbamazepine Contraindicated
- Carbamazepine + Delamanid Contraindicated
- Carbamazepine + Dienogest / estradiol valerate Contraindicated
- Carbamazepine + Doravirine Contraindicated
- Carbamazepine + Elbasvir / grazoprevir Contraindicated
Other interactions of Lacosamide
- Lacosamide + Zuranolone Major
- Atazanavir + Lacosamide Moderate
- Cenobamate + Lacosamide Moderate
- Clarithromycin + Lacosamide Moderate
- Daridorexant + Lacosamide Moderate
- Eslicarbazepine + Lacosamide Moderate
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Carbamazepine with Lacosamide?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Carbamazepine and Lacosamide 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 act on sodium channels, and their combination may add to cardiac conduction effects such as PR prolongation, AV block and bradyarrhythmias, along with dizziness and ataxia. Carbamazepine may also modestly lower lacosamide levels.
How serious is the interaction between Carbamazepine and Lacosamide?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Obtain an ECG before starting lacosamide and once steady state is reached, especially in patients with conduction disease. Watch for dizziness, ataxia and loss of seizure control.
What other medicines interact with Carbamazepine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Carbamazepine with, for example, Artemether / lumefantrine, Cabotegravir, Delamanid. The full list is on the Carbamazepine page.
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