Details

Lacosamide is an anti-epileptic drug, also called an anticonvulsant. Lacosamide is used together with other medications to treat partial-onset seizures in people with epilepsy who are at least 17 years old. To make sure lacosamide is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease liver disease a history of depression, suicidal thoughts or actions, or drug or alcohol abuse nerve problems caused by diabetes or a serious heart condition such as "sick sinus syndrome" or "AV block" (unless you have a pacemaker), heart failure, or other severe heart disorder.

Typical Uses

Lacosamide is used to prevent and control seizures. It is an anticonvulsant or antiepileptic drug. It works by reducing the spread of seizure activity in the brain.

Side Effects

Stop using lacosamide and inform your doctor immediately if you have double vision, hallucinations a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out fast or pounding heartbeats, fluttering in your chest shortness of breath fever, skin rash, swollen glands, flu symptoms bruising, severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-coloured stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes) or lower back pain, cloudy or bloody urine, swelling, rapid weight gain, urinating less than usual.

Drug Interactions

• Lacosamide+atazanavir- Using atazanavir together with lacosamide can increase the risk of an irregular heart rhythm that may be serious. You should seek immediate medical attention if you develop sudden dizziness, light-headedness, fainting, or irregular heartbeat during treatment with these drugs, whether together or alone.
• Lacosamide+dolasetron- Talk to your doctor before using dolasetron together with lacosamide. Combining these medications can increase the risk of an irregular heart rhythm that may be serious. You may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use both medications.
• Lacosamide+saquinavir- Using saquinavir together with lacosamide is not recommended. Combining these medications can increase the risk of an irregular heart rhythm that may be serious.
• Lacosamide+sodium oxybate- Using sodium oxybate together with lacosamide may increase side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, light-headedness, confusion, depression, low blood pressure, slow or shallow breathing, and impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. Occasionally, severe reactions may result in coma and even death.

Mechanism of action

It is proposed that lacosamide's inhibition of sodium channels is responsible for analgesia. Lacosamide may be selective for inhibiting depolarized neurons rather than neurons with normal resting potentials. Pain and nociceptor hyperexcitability are associated with neural membrane depolarization. Lacosamide binds to collapsin response mediator protein-2 (CRMP-2), a phosphoprotein which is expressed primarily in the nervous system and is involved in neuronal differentiation and control of axonal outgrowth.

Pregnancy Category : C