Levetiracetam Alternatives Compared

View side-by-side comparisons of medication uses, ratings, cost, side effects and interactions.
Levetiracetam	Keppra	Carbamazepine	Enter another drug to compare

Levetiracetam

Keppra (levetiracetam)

Carbamazepine

Prescription only

Levetiracetam is an anticonvulsant that is used in conjunction with other medications for the treatment of certain types of seizure. It may cause drowsiness but interactions with other medications... View more

Prescription only

Keppra is an anticonvulsant that is used in conjunction with other medications for the treatment of certain types of seizures. It may cause drowsiness but it is less likely than some other... View more

Prescription only

Carbamazepine is an anticonvulsant that may be used in the treatment of various seizure disorders and also to relieve nerve pain associated with conditions such as trigeminal neuralgia or diabetic... View more

More about Levetiracetam

More about Keppra (levetiracetam)

More about Carbamazepine

Generic Status

Lower-cost generic is available

Ratings & Reviews

Levetiracetam has an average rating of 5.9 out of 10 from a total of 382 ratings on Drugs.com. 45% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 32% reported a negative effect.

Keppra has an average rating of 5.7 out of 10 from a total of 267 ratings on Drugs.com. 44% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 34% reported a negative effect.

Carbamazepine has an average rating of 6.9 out of 10 from a total of 316 ratings on Drugs.com. 57% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 22% reported a negative effect.

View all 382 reviews

View all 267 reviews

View all 316 reviews

Drug Class

Pyrrolidine anticonvulsants

Pyrrolidine anticonvulsants

Dibenzazepine anticonvulsants

Side Effects

Commonly reported side effects include:

infection
neurosis
drowsiness
asthenia
headache
nasopharyngitis
nervousness
abnormal behavior
aggressive behavior
agitation
anxiety
apathy
depersonalization
depression
fatigue
hostility
hyperkinetic muscle activity
mental disorders
outbursts of anger
personality disorder
emotional lability
irritability
laceration
mood changes
show all 24

See also: levetiracetam side effects in more detail.

Common side effects include:

infection
neurosis
drowsiness
asthenia
headache
nasopharyngitis
nervousness
abnormal behavior
aggressive behavior
agitation
anxiety
apathy
depersonalization
depression
fatigue
hostility
hyperkinetic muscle activity
personality disorder
emotional lability
irritability
laceration
mood changes
show all 22

See also: Keppra side effects in more detail.

Commonly reported side effects include:

ataxia
dizziness
drowsiness
nausea
vomiting

See also: carbamazepine side effects in more detail.

Pricing and Coupons * Prices are without insurance

Quantity	100 each
Dosage	500 mg
Per Unit^*	$0.29 - $1.01
Cost^*	$28.63 - $101.22

View all levetiracetam prices

Quantity	30 tablet
Dosage	500 mg
Per Unit^*	$10.96
Cost^*	$328.73

View all Keppra prices and generic prices

Quantity	100 each
Dosage	200 mg
Per Unit^*	$0.51
Cost^*	$50.86

View all carbamazepine prices

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Dosage Form(s) Available

Intravenous solution
Oral solution
Oral tablet
Oral tablet, extended release

Intravenous solution
Oral solution
Oral tablet

Oral capsule, extended release
Oral suspension
Oral tablet
Oral tablet, chewable
Oral tablet, extended release

Half Life The half-life of a drug is the time taken for the plasma concentration of a drug to reduce to half its original value.

8 hours

19 hours

CSA Schedule ** View glossary of terms

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Pregnancy Category

Category C Risk cannot be ruled out

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Category C Risk cannot be ruled out

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Category D Positive evidence of risk

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Drug Interactions

A total of 229 drugs are known to interact with levetiracetam:

4 major drug interactions (15 brand and generic names)
222 moderate drug interactions (1001 brand and generic names)
3 minor drug interactions (14 brand and generic names)

A total of 229 drugs are known to interact with Keppra:

4 major drug interactions (15 brand and generic names)
222 moderate drug interactions (1001 brand and generic names)
3 minor drug interactions (14 brand and generic names)

A total of 720 drugs are known to interact with carbamazepine:

202 major drug interactions (575 brand and generic names)
483 moderate drug interactions (2995 brand and generic names)
35 minor drug interactions (104 brand and generic names)

Alcohol/Food/Lifestyle Interactions

Alcohol can increase the nervous system side effects of levETIRAcetam such as dizziness... View more

Alcohol can increase the nervous system side effects of levETIRAcetam such as dizziness... View more

You should preferably avoid the regular consumption of grapefruits and grapefruit juice while... View more

Disease Interactions

First Approval Date

November 30, 1999

March 11, 1968

WADA Class View World Anti-Doping Agency classifications.

N/A

More Information

Patient resources

Professional Resources

Prescribing information

** The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) schedule information displayed applies to substances regulated under federal law. There may be variations in CSA schedules between individual states.

Further information

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

Medical Disclaimer

Levetiracetam Alternatives Compared

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