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Vimpat (Intravenous)

Generic name: lacosamide [ la-KOE-sa-mide ]
Drug class: Miscellaneous anticonvulsants

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jun 5, 2023.

Uses for Vimpat

Lacosamide injection is used to treat partial-onset seizures. It is also used with other medicines to treat primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures. It acts on the central nervous system (CNS) to reduce the number and severity of seizures.

This medicine is to be given only by or under the direct supervision of your doctor.

Before using Vimpat

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of lacosamide injection in children younger than 4 years of age to treat primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures and in children younger than 1 month of age to treat partial-onset seizures. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of lacosamide injection in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related liver, kidney, or heart problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving lacosamide injection.

Breast Feeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with Medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following is usually not recommended, but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

Proper use of Vimpat

A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine in a hospital. It is given through a needle placed into one of your veins. The medicine must be injected slowly, so your IV tube will need to stay in place for at least 15 to 60 minutes.

This medicine should come with a Medication Guide. It is very important that you read and understand this information. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.

Your doctor may give you a few doses of this medicine until your condition improves, and then you may be switched to an oral medicine that works the same way. If you have any concerns about this, talk to your doctor.

Detailed Vimpat dosage information

Precautions while using Vimpat

Your doctor will check your progress closely while you are receiving this medicine. This will allow your doctor to see if the medicine is working properly and to decide if you should continue to receive it.. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

If you develop any unusual or strange thoughts and behavior while receiving lacosamide injection, be sure to discuss it with your doctor. Some changes that have occurred in people receiving this medicine are like those seen in people who drink too much alcohol. Other changes might be confusion, worsening of depression, hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there), suicidal thoughts, and unusual excitement, nervousness, or irritability.

This medicine may cause blurred vision, double vision, clumsiness, unsteadiness, dizziness, drowsiness, sleepiness, or trouble with thinking. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you. If these side effects are especially bothersome, check with your doctor.

This medicine can cause changes in heart rhythms, including a condition called PR prolongation. It may change the way your heart beats and cause lightheadedness, fainting, or serious side effects in some patients. Contact your doctor right away if you have any symptoms of heart rhythm problems, including fast, slow, or irregular heartbeats.

Lacosamide injection may cause a condition called drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), which is a serious allergic reaction affecting multiple body organs (eg, liver or kidney). Check with your doctor right away if you have fever, dark urine, headache, rash, stomach pain, swollen, painful, or tender lymph glands in the neck, armpit, or groin, unusual tiredness, or yellow eyes or skin.

Breastfeeding during treatment with this medicine may cause your baby to be more sleepy. Talk with your doctor if you have concerns.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Side Effects of Vimpat

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

Less common

Rare

Incidence not known

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

Less common

Incidence not known

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Vimpat side effects (more detail)

Commonly used brand name(s)

In the U.S.

Available Dosage Forms:

Therapeutic Class: Anticonvulsant

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

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