Tegretol

If you have suffered a personal injury as a result of the dangerous drug Tegretol, you may be eligble for compensation and should contact an attorney who specializes in product liability litigation and dangerous drug litigation against pharmaceutical companies.

Tegretol Suicidal Thoughts Warning

The FDA has analyzed reports of suicidality (suicidal behavior or ideation) from placebo-controlled clinical studies of eleven drugs used to treat epilepsy as well as psychiatric disorders, and other conditions. These drugs are commonly referred to as antiepileptic drugs (see the list below). In the FDA's analysis, patients receiving antiepileptic drugs had approximately twice the risk of suicidal behavior or ideation (0.43%) compared to patients receiving placebo (0.22%). The increased risk of suicidal behavior and suicidal ideation was observed as early as one week after starting the antiepileptic drug and continued through 24 weeks. The results were generally consistent among the eleven drugs. Patients who were treated for epilepsy, psychiatric disorders, and other conditions were all at increased risk for suicidality when compared to placebo, and there did not appear to be a specific demographic subgroup of patients to which the increased risk could be attributed. The relative risk for suicidality was higher in the patients with epilepsy compared to patients who were given one of the drugs in the class for psychiatric or other conditions. All patients who are currently taking or starting on any antiepileptic drug should be closely monitored for notable changes in behavior that could indicate the emergence or worsening of suicidal thoughts or behavior or depression.

Tegretol 2007 Alert

Dangerous or even fatal skin reactions (Stevens Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis), that can be caused by carbamazepine therapy, are significantly more common in patients with a particular human leukocyte antigen (HLA) allele, HLA-B*1502. This allele occurs almost exclusively in patients with ancestry across broad areas of Asia, including South Asian Indians. Genetic tests for HLA-B*1502 are already available. Patients with ancestry from areas in which HLA-B*1502 is present should be screened for the HLA-B*1502 allele before starting treatment with carbamazepine. If they test positive, carbamazepine should not be started unless the expected benefit clearly outweighs the increased risk of serious skin reactions. Patients who have been taking carbamazepine for more than a few months without developing skin reactions are at low risk of these events ever developing from carbamazepine. This is true for patients of any ethnicity or genotype, including patients positive for HLA-B*1502. This new safety information will be reflected in updated product labeling.

Tegretol 2005 Notice

AstraZeneca and FDA notified healthcare professionals reports of medication dispensing or prescribing errors between Toprol-XL (metoprolol succinate) extended release tablets, indicated for the treatment of hypertension, long-term treatment of angina pectoris, and heart failure NYHA Class II or III, and Topamax (topiramate), a product of Ortho-McNeil Neurologics, Inc, indicated for the treatment of epilepsy and migraine prophylaxis. There have also been reports of medication errors involving confusion between Toprol-XL and Tegretol or Tegretol-XR (carbamazepine), products of Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, indicated for the treatment of complex partial seizures, generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and trigeminal neuralgia. These reports include instances where Toprol-XL was incorrectly administered to patients instead of Topamax, Tegretol, or Tegretol-XR, and vice versa, some of them leading to adverse events.