Medication Safety Issues
CarBAMazepine may be confused with OXcarbazepine
Epitol may be confused with Epinal
Tegretol, Tegretol-XR may be confused with Toprol-XL, Toradol, Trental
The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) includes this medication among its list of drugs which have a heightened risk of causing significant patient harm when used in error (High-Alert Medications in Community/Ambulatory Care Settings).
Beers Criteria: Carbamazepine is identified in the Beers Criteria as a potentially inappropriate medication to be used with caution in patients 65 years and older due to the potential to cause or exacerbate syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) or hyponatremia; monitor sodium concentration closely when initiating or adjusting the dose in older adults (Beers Criteria [AGS 2023]).
Carbamazepine is identified in the Screening Tool of Older Person's Prescriptions (STOPP) criteria as a potentially inappropriate medication in older adults (≥65 years of age) with a history of recurrent falls due to an increased risk of falls (O’Mahony 2023).