[Combination therapy with carbamazepine and valproic acid in problem cases at an outpatient epilepsy clinic]

A total of 64 problem patients with epilepsy (42 retrospective evaluations, 22 prospective cases) was treated with the combination of carbamazepine and valproic acid. Most frequent seizure types were tonic clonic (focal origin or primarily generalized), complex partial ones, and absences. Best results were observed in patients with tonic clonic seizures in contrast to complex partial ones. The pattern of adverse reactions (none of significant severity) was according to those of monotherapies with the compounds. In cases with relevant improvement serum levels of carbamazepine and valproic acid were within the range commonly described for monotherapies.