Psychosis lamotrigine

Should certain antiepileptic drugs be contraindicated in patients with active psychosis Unfortunately there is not enough solid information to answer this question. Undoubtedly, anticonvulsants that are less likely to cause psychosis (lamotrigine, carbamazepine, oxcarbaze-pine, valproate) should be preferred (52,53). However, patients with psychoses have been successfully treated even with drugs that are believed to be associated with psychosis, such as vigabatrin. For example, in a prospective study in 10 patients with psychosis and epilepsy to whom vigabatrin was added, there was no aggravation of the psychiatric disorder (54). 

Optimize the dose of mood stabilizing medication(s) before adding on lithium, lamotrigine, or antidepressant (e.g., bupropion or an SSRI) if psychotic features are present, add on an antipsychotic ECT used for severe or treatment-resistant depressive episodes or for psychosis or catatonia... 

Side effects. The most common side effects are headache, nausea and vomiting, diplopia, dizziness, ataxia and tremor. There are also reports that lamotrigine can cause such psychiatric side effects as aggression, agitation, confusion, hallucinations and psychosis, some of these effects possibly being associated with a reduction in the glutamatergic system. Rashes are a frequent side effect, occurring in up to 5% of patients. Usually rashes are mild but occasionally can be severe and amount to a Stevens-Johnson syndrome. The severe rash occurs more commonly in children. 

Irritability and aggressive behavior occur occasionally, and mentally retarded patients are possibly at greater risk (SEDA-22, 88). Rare central nervous system effects include insomnia, psychosis (SEDA-20, 63), downbeat nystagmus (SEDA-22, 89), movement disorders (SEDA-21, 72), and a Tourette-like syndrome. Lamotrigine can increase seizure frequency and severity in children with severe myoclonic epilepsy (SEDA-21, 72). 

After first trimester carbamazepine, lamotrigine, oxcarbazepine, or valproate Second choice benzodiazepine (lorazepam) Third choice calcium channel blocker With psychosis first choice adjunctive high-potency typical antipsychotic (haloperidol, perphenazine, thiothixene, or trifluoperazine)... 

Drug overdose Of 16 796 toxic exposures to antiepileptic drugs (phenytoin, valproic acid, and carbamazepine) in the USA in 2006, 12 resulted in death, as reported by the US Toxic Surveillance System [67 ]. Some specific problems determined by overdose of some old and new antiepileptic drugs have been briefly reviewed. For example, topiramate can cause a significant metabolic acidosis, lamotrigine Stevens-Johnson syndrome, oxcarbazepine hyponatremia, and levetiracetam psychosis. Possible adoption of guidelines for critical care management of overdose are discussed. 

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