Drug interactions
Levetiracetam + Phenobarbital
Severity: Moderate
Levetiracetam and Phenobarbital: 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 are used as antiseizure agents and both cause drowsiness, dizziness and cognitive slowing. Together sedation and behavioral side effects may be more pronounced, particularly in children and older adults, although the combination is often used deliberately.
What this interaction means in plain words
Levetiracetam and Phenobarbital 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.
Why it happens
Additive CNS depression; no clinically significant pharmacokinetic interaction is expected.
What to do
Monitor for sedation, mood and behavioral changes, and adjust doses to the lowest effective level. Titrate gradually when adding either drug.
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
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Levetiracetam with Phenobarbital?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Levetiracetam and Phenobarbital 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 are used as antiseizure agents and both cause drowsiness, dizziness and cognitive slowing. Together sedation and behavioral side effects may be more pronounced, particularly in children and older adults, although the combination is often used deliberately.
How serious is the interaction between Levetiracetam and Phenobarbital?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Monitor for sedation, mood and behavioral changes, and adjust doses to the lowest effective level. Titrate gradually when adding either drug.
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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