What Are Carbamazepine, Phenytoin, and Fosphenytoin?
Carbamazepine, phenytoin, and fosphenytoin are drugs commonly used to treat:
- Epiliepsy, including grand mal seizures and psychomotor seizures
- Pain in the nerves of the face caused by trigeminal neuralgia
- Bipolar disorder
Generic Name | Brand Name |
carbamazepine | Tegretol, Equetro, Carbatrol, Atretol, Epitol, Teril |
phenytoin | Dilantin, Phenytek, Diphenylan |
fosphenytoin | Cerebyx |
Side Effects
Like all drugs, carbamazepine, phenytoin and fosphenytoin can cause side effects. Many of these are mild and temporary, like drowsiness and vomiting. However, severe side effects can develop that need immediate medical attention. Sometimes these drugs can damage the bone marrow, which increases the chance of getting sick. Problems with the liver and kidneys are also possible.
The most severe side effects are skin reactions. These skin reactions usually show up within a few weeks of starting drug treatment. The most common serious skin reactions are:
Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS): The symptoms of SJS begin with fever and tiredness, followed by a rash, severe skin wounds, and shedding of the skin. Up to 10% of the skin can be affected. Wounds may also appear in other tissues that cover the eyes, mouth, and genitals. Up to 5% of SJS cases are fatal.
Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN): This syndrome is more severe than SJS, and can be life threatening. It also begins with fever and tiredness followed by a rash and skin wounds that may resemble extensive burns. However, 30% or more of the skin may be affected. Between 25% and 35% of TEN cases are fatal.
Inherited gene changes may help explain these serious skin reactions in certain people.