Sketchy Pharm: Carbamazepine, Phenytoin, Gabapentin, Tiagabine, Vigabatrin Flashcards

1
Q

Many narrow-spectrum anti-epileptics can ______________ generalized seizures (such as carbamazepine).

A

worsen/exacerbate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Carbamazepine, in addition to being used for focal seizures, is used for ______________.

A

trigeminal neuralgia (a condition of usually unilateral, electric-shock like pain that lasts for a few seconds but repeats)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What kind of seizures can carbamazepine treat?

A

Focal (think of the waitress shaking just her arm)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are the side effects of carbamazepine?

A
  • Diplopia (misaligned headlights)
  • Ataxia (falling stack)
  • SIADH (guy with water cup on his head in the car)
  • Leukopenia (hour glass with falling grains)
  • CYP inducer
  • Teratogenesis (spider on guy’s shirt and neural exhaust tube)
  • DRESS syndrome (eosinophilia represented on dress with pink dots)
  • SJS (driver with mask)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is the mechanism of carbamazepine and phenytoin?

A

Binds to and prolongs the inactivation of voltage-gated sodium channels

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

The side effects of phenytoin include ____________.

A
  • diplopia (headlights crossed)
  • nystagmus
  • ataxia (falling burger stack)
  • low folate (salad – foliage –falling onto hood of TOw truck)
  • gingiva hyperplasia (bubble gum expanding)
  • hirsutism (hairy beard)
  • lupus (the tow truck driver’s wolf companion)
  • DRESS eosinophilia (pink dots on DRESS)
  • SJS (guy whose car is getting towed removing mask –also more common in the HLA B1502 phenotype)
  • teratogenicity (cleft hat bill)
  • CYP inducer
  • osteoporosis (cracked bone axle)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is status epilepticus?

A

Continuous seizures without breaks –treat with IV benzodiazepines, phenobarbital, and phenytoin

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

True or false: gabapentin activates GABA channels.

A

False! They close voltage-gated calcium channels (“GrAB A PiNT” ice-cream truck with closed calci-yum door)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are the indications of gabapentin?

A
  • post-herpetic neuralgia (Zeus –representing zoster –on the ice cream truck)
  • diabetic neuropathy (diasweeties with the frayed wire on the side of the truck)
  • narrow-spectrum anti-convulsant
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Side effects of gabapentin include ______________.

A

ataxia (stack of ice cream falling over)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is the mechanism of vigabatrin?

A

It inhibits GABA transaminase, thereby increasing amounts of GABA in the CNS (the GABA cab getting raised to have its TRANSmission service).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the mechanism of tiagabine?

A

It blocks GABA reuptake channels, leading to increased CNS levels of GABA (the tie stuck in the GABA cab getting lifted).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly