Scheme-Based Benzodiazepine Detoxification with Oxcarbazepine

We attempted to evaluate the tolerability and efficacy of the antiepileptic drug oxcarbazepine in benzodiazepine detoxification, by observing several cases. Detoxification followed a predefined dosage scheme. All patients detoxified with oxcarbazepine completed the withdrawal successfully, without withdrawal symptoms. The administration of oxcarbazepine according to the scheme proved to be tolerable. The dosage was sufficient. Though uncontrolled case observations must be interpreted with caution, oxcarbazepine appears to be a promising drug in inpatient benzodiazepine withdrawal. It should be examined in further randomized placebo-controlled studies including long-term follow-ups.

References

• 1 Croissant B, Scherle T, Diehl A, Heinz A, Mann K. Oxcarbazepine in Alcohol Relapse Prevention - A Case Series.  Pharmacopsychiatry. 2004;  37 306-307
• 2 Dietrich D E, Kropp S, Emrich H M. Oxcarbazepine in affective and schizoaffective disorders.  Pharmacopsychiatry. 2001;  34 242-250
• 3 Ghaemi S N, Berv D A, Klugman J, Rosenquist K J, Hsu D J. Oxcarbazepine treatment of bipolar disorder.  J Clin Psychiatry. 2003;  64 943-945
• 4 Glauser T A. Oxcarbazepine in the treatment of epilepsy.  Pharmacotherapy. 2001;  21 904-919
• 5 Rickels K, Schweizer E, Garcia Espana F, Case G, DeMartinis N, Greenblatt D. Trazodone and valproate in patients discontinuing long-term benzodiazepine therapy: effects on withdrawal symptoms and taper outcome.  Psychopharmacology. 1999;  141 1-5
• 6 Sullivan J T, Sykora K, Schneiderman J, Naranjo C A, Sellers E M (1989). Assessment of alcohol withdrawal: the revised clinical institute withdrawal assessment for alcohol scale (CIWA-Ar).  Br J Addict. 1989;  84 1353-1357