Carbamazepine

CPT Code(s):
80156

Turnaround Time:
4 hours

Specimen Requirements

Preferred Specimen:
Serum

Minimum Volume:
1.0 mL

Transport Container:
Red Top Tube

Transport Temperature:
Room Temperature

Collection Instructions:
Allow blood to clot completely prior to centrifugation. Separate serum from cells within 45 minutes of collection.

Rejection Criteria:
Citrate, Fluoride,Sodium Heparin, gel SST tube or EDTA plasma specimen; specimen received on red cells gross hemolysis; lipemia; improper labeling

Stability Criteria

Room Temperature:
8 hours

Refrigerated:
2 days

Frozen:
30 days

Clinical Significance

Carbamazepine holds specific clinical significance and diagnostic use in the field of clinical pharmacology and neurology. This test measures the level of carbamazepine, an anticonvulsant and mood stabilizing medication, in a patient's blood.

The clinical significance and diagnostic use of Carbamazepine include:

1. Therapeutic Drug Monitoring: Carbamazepine is commonly used to monitor therapeutic drug levels in patients receiving carbamazepine therapy. Maintaining appropriate drug levels is crucial for optimal treatment outcomes in conditions such as epilepsy, bipolar disorder, or trigeminal neuralgia. The test helps ensure that the drug concentration is within the therapeutic range, maximizing its effectiveness while minimizing the risk of toxicity.

2. Individualized Dosing Adjustments: Quantitative measurements obtained from Carbamazepine allow healthcare providers to tailor the dosage of carbamazepine to an individual patient's needs. Monitoring drug levels over time helps ensure that the dose is adjusted based on the patient's metabolism, drug clearance rate, and response to treatment. This individualized approach helps optimize treatment outcomes and minimize adverse effects.

3. Assessment of Medication Compliance: Carbamazepine assists in assessing patient compliance with carbamazepine therapy. By measuring the drug concentration in a patient's blood, healthcare providers can verify medication adherence. Low levels of carbamazepine may suggest non-compliance, providing an opportunity to address potential issues and improve treatment adherence.

4. Evaluation of Toxicity: Monitoring carbamazepine levels is essential in detecting and preventing toxicity. High levels of carbamazepine can lead to adverse effects, such as dizziness, drowsiness, ataxia, or even life-threatening conditions like cardiac arrhythmias. Carbamazepine helps identify elevated drug levels, prompting dosage adjustments or other interventions to avoid toxicity.

5. Pharmacokinetic Variability: Carbamazepine is valuable in assessing pharmacokinetic variability among individuals. Some patients may metabolize carbamazepine differently due to genetic factors or drug interactions, resulting in variable drug levels. By monitoring carbamazepine levels, healthcare providers can understand individual variations, optimize dosing, and ensure consistent therapeutic drug concentrations.

In summary, Carbamazepine has specific clinical significance in therapeutic drug monitoring, individualized dosing adjustments, assessment of medication compliance, evaluation of toxicity, and assessment of pharmacokinetic variability. By measuring carbamazepine levels, this test provides valuable information for clinical decision-making, ensuring optimal treatment outcomes, and minimizing the risk of adverse effects in patients receiving carbamazepine therapy.