Carbamazepine and the electroencephalogram of epileptics: a double blind study in comparison to phenytoin

In double blind crossover 4 month trials, carbamazepine was compared to phenytoin as sole treatment for 45 patients with uncontrolled partial and generalized epilepsy. EEGs performed at the end of these trials revealed that while using carbamazepine the patients manifested a significant overall increase in diffuse slow waves and an increase in generalized epileptiform discharges without significant accompanying changes in seizure incidence. Also, during the carbamazepine trial generalized epileptiform discharges activated by hyperventilation were more frequent in patients with a higher seizure incidence compared to subjects with a lower seizure incidence of patients taking phenytoin. No significant focal EEG changes occurred.