A viewpoint on rational and irrational fixed-drug combinations.

A viewpoint on rational and irrational fixed-drug combinations. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol. 2018 Jul 19;: Authors: Błaszczyk B, Miziak B, Czuczwar P, Wierzchowska-Cioch E, Pluta R, Czuczwar SJ Abstract INTRODUCTION: Considering that there are around 30% of patients with epilepsy resistant to monotherapy, the use of synergistic combinations of antiepileptic drugs is of particular importance. This review shows most beneficial as well as irrational combined treatments both from an experimental and clinical point of view. Areas covered: Preferably, experimental data derived from studies evaluating synergy, additivity or antagonism by relevant methods, in terms of anticonvulsant or neurotoxic effects and pharmacokinetic data have been considered. Although there have been no randomized clinical trials on this issue, the clinical data have been analyzed from studies on considerable numbers of patients. Case-report studies have been not considered. Expert commentary: The experimental data provide a strong support that co-administration of lamotrigine with carbamazepine is negative, considering the anticonvulsant and neurotoxic effects. Clinical reports do not entirely support this conclusion. Other experimentally documented negative combinations comprise lamotrigine+oxcarbazepine and oxcarbazepine+phenytoin. From the experimental and clinical point of view, a combination of lamotrigine+valproate may deserve recommendation. Other most positiv...
Source: Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol Source Type: research