FOR PATIENTS TAKING OTHER ENZYME-INDUCING AEDS (I.E., CARBAMAZEPINE, PHENOBARBITAL, PHENYTOIN, AND PRIMIDONE), HIGHER DOSES OF ESLICARBAZEPINE MAY BE NEEDED. ESLICARBAZEPINE SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS AN ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY WITH OXCARBAZEPINE.
CYP2C19 SUBSTRATES:
ESLICARBAZEPINE CAN INHIBIT CYP2C19, WHICH CAN CAUSE INCREASED PLASMA CONCENTRATIONS OF DRUGS THAT ARE METABOLIZED BY THIS ISOENZYME (E.G., PHENYTOIN, CLOBAZAM, AND OMEPRAZOLE,
CYP3A4 SUBSTRATES
IN VIVO STUDIES SUGGEST THAT ESLICARBAZEPINE CAN INDUCE CYP3A4, DECREASING PLASMA CONCENTRATIONS OF DRUGS THAT ARE METABOLIZED BY THIS ISOENZYME (E.G., SIMVASTATIN, LOVASTATIN.
CONCOMITANT USE OF ESLICARBAZEPINE AND ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES CONTAING ETHINYLESTRADIOL AND LEVONORGESTREL IS ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER PLASMA LEVELS OF THESE HORMONES LEADING TO INCREASED CHANCES OF CONTRACEPTIVE FAILURE.