Carbamazepine intoxication in alcohol dependent epileptic patients

Carbamazepine is frequently administrated to alcohol addict patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of alcohol addiction on carbamazepine pharmacokinetics and severity of drug intoxication. The total of 158 carbamazepine intoxicated patients participated in the study (76 non-alcohol-dependent, and 82 alcohol-dependent subjects). The results of the study indicate that the level of unconsciousness depends on carbamazepine concentration. The frequency of anticholinergic toxidrome was higher in alcohol-dependent patients (88.6% – alcohol-abused subjects, and 78.3% – alcoholics in abstinency) comparing to non-alcohol-dependent epileptics (67.1%). The average biological half-life of carbamazepine in non-addicted epileptics was 41.5 h, 43.5 h for alcohol-dependent patients during abstinency, and 38.6 in abused patients. It may be concluded that ethanol doesn't influence the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic of carbamazepine in acute drug intoxication.