[Carbamazepine in the treatment in psychiatric disorders based on retrospective clinical study]

Medical records of patient treated in I Department of Psychiatry Medical University of Gdansk in 1996-2000 were analysed. Carbamazepine was used in 383 patients, 209 male and 174 female. Mean age for the whole group 41.2 years, for male 40.6, for female 41.9. Carbamazepine was mainly used in affective disorders (F30-33) and organic affective disorders (F06.3)-107 persons. Second the most common indication was organic personality disturbances (F07.0)-121 persons. Carbamazepine was used in 100-1200 mg per day (mean dose 415 mg) during 5-189 days (mean 36 days). Treatment was well tolerated. Only 24 patients (6.3%) have mild side effects. Drug level in blood was checked in 19 patients during two last years of analysed material. Carbamazepine was used mainly with tricyclic antidepressants (30.3%), second generation antidepressive drugs (22.2%) and typical neuroleptics (11.1%). More than half of patients (55.6%) were recovered. Based on clinical material carbamazepine seems to be active agent in treatment of affective disorders and diseases connected with organic brain lesion.