Oral contraceptives reduce lamotrigine plasma levels

Neurology. 2003 Aug 26;61(4):570-1. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000076485.09353.7a.

Abstract

The mean steady-state plasma concentration of lamotrigine (LTG) was 13 micro mol/L in 22 women taking LTG in combination oral contraceptives (OC) compared with 28 micro mol/L among 30 women on LTG who did not take OC (p < 0.0001). The LTG dose/body weight/plasma concentration was 2.1 L/kg/day in women on OC compared with 0.8 L/kg/day in women without OC (p < 0.0001), indicating that LTG plasma levels are reduced by >50% during OC co-medication. It is advisable to monitor LTG plasma levels in conjunction with initiation or withdrawal of OC in women on LTG therapy.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Anticonvulsants / blood*
  • Anticonvulsants / pharmacokinetics
  • Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / pharmacology*
  • Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal / pharmacology*
  • Denmark
  • Drug Interactions
  • Female
  • Glucuronosyltransferase / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Inactivation, Metabolic
  • Lamotrigine
  • Male
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sweden
  • Triazines / blood*
  • Triazines / pharmacokinetics

Substances

  • Anticonvulsants
  • Contraceptives, Oral, Combined
  • Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal
  • Triazines
  • bilirubin glucuronoside glucuronosyltransferase
  • Glucuronosyltransferase
  • Lamotrigine