Course Summary

This course is for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, Registered Nurses and other Interdisciplinary Health Team Members who are seeking autonomous practice or advanced certification continuing education credits. Carbamazepine is a first-generation anticonvulsant that has labeled uses for the treatment of specific types of epilepsy (partial and generalized seizures), bipolar disorder, and trigeminal or glossopharyngeal neuralgia. It has been used as a mood stabilizer and for the treatment of neuropathic pain syndromes. Basic information on the pharmacology and the clinical uses of carbamazepine, including drug-drug interactions, dosing adjustments, recommendations for drug monitoring in special populations or those with comorbid health conditions, toxic levels, and aspects of differential diagnosis of interest to clinicians are discussed.

Course Format

Homestudy

Learning Objectives

  • To inform health clinicians of carbamazepine indications, clinical uses, potential side effects, on adverse drug effects associated with physical symptoms of toxicity, and differential diagnosis of bipolar disorder, trigeminal and glossopharyngeal neuralgia.

Course Syllabus

  • Introduction
  • Pharmacological Profile and Uses
    1. Dosing
    2. Bipolar Disorder
    3. Epilepsy
    4. Trigeminal Neuralgia
    5. Glossopharyngeal and Vago-glossopharyngeal Neuralgia
  • Adverse Events Associated with Carbamazepine Use
    1. US Boxed Warning
    2. Contraindications
  • Diagnosing Adverse Drug Reactions
    1. Aplastic Anemia and Agranulocytosis
    2. Cardiovascular Disease
    3. Central Nervous System
    4. Hepatic and Renal Systems
    5. Hyponatremia and Geriatric Considerations
    6. Hypersensitivity Reactions
    7. Psychiatric
    8. Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
    9. Drug Interactions
    10. Dietary Concerns
  • Carbamazepine Overdose
    1. Treatment of Overdose
  • Case Study: Infant Case of Congenital Myotonia
    1. The Apgar score
    2. Discussion
  • Summary

Authors

Dana Bartlett, RN, BSN, MSN, MA, CSPI

Dana Bartlett is a professional nurse and author. His clinical experience includes 16 years of ICU and ER experience and over 27 years as a poison control center information specialist. Dana has published numerous CE and journal articles, written NCLEX material, textbook chapters, and more than 100 online CE articles, and done editing and reviewing for publishers such as Elsevier, Lippincott, and Thieme. He has written widely on the subject of toxicology and was a contributing editor, toxicology section, for Critical Care Nurse journal. He is currently employed at the Connecticut Poison Control Center. He lives in Wappingers Falls, NY.

Kellie Wilson, PharmD

Kellie Wilson is a Doctor of Pharmacy practicing in Anaconda, Montana, where she lives with her husband and four children. She attended the University of Montana in Missoula where she graduated in 2009 with a doctorate in pharmacy. She later worked in Boise, Idaho for a large, retail pharmacy for 2 years, and then returned home to Montana to oversee an independently owned retail and long-term care pharmacy in Anaconda. As an independent retail pharmacist she has become very involved in psychiatric pharmacy for two major behavioral health organizations that are located around all of Montana. Kellie’s passion is retail pharmacy because she enjoys the interactions with customers as well as the challenges and rewards of staying current with the continuous changes in the pharmacy field.