The FDA put yet another warning on mental health drugs Thursday. Anti-seizure medications, commonly used for treatment of manic depression, migraines and other disorders, are said to raise the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior.
The agency will ask drug makers to put these warning labels on an entire class of drugs, according to the report.
The drugs raise the risk of suicide twice that of taking a placebo in a meta-analysis of 199 studies.
But this isn't new, it's just getting released to the drug makers and the public.
What are the implications? I fear that people who will do well on these medications will steer far away — possibly from a drug that will offer the most relief.
As health educators, we must urge people to talk to their doctors if they are concerned with the drugs.
The drugs are as follows:
Carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol, Tegretol XR)
Felbamate (Felbatol)
Gabapentin (Neurontin)
Lamotrigine (Lamictal)
Levetiracetam (Keppra)
Oxcarbazepine (Trileptal)
Pregabalin (Lyrica)
Tiagabine (Gabitril)
Topiramate (Topamax)
Valproate (Depakote, Depakote ER, Depakene, Depacon)
Zonisamide (Zonegran)
Friday, February 1, 2008
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