Simulation of the effect of patient nonadherence on plasma concentrations of carbamazepine from twice-daily extended-release capsules.

Objective: Carbamazepine (CBZ) effectively treats simple, complex, and secondarily generalized partial seizures. Computer simulations were carried out to investigate the effect of missing or delaying doses of carbamazepine extended-release capsules (CBZ-ERC) on plasma CBZ levels and the optimal dosing strategy to return plasma concentrations to therapeutic levels.

Patients And Methods: A one-compartment open model with first-order absorption and elimination was generated from the results of a previous study measuring plasma concentrations following one 400-mg fasting dose of CBZ-ERC.