Side Effects of Carbamazepine, Valproate, and Clonazepam During Long-Term Epilepsy Treatment

The study from 1983 examined the side effects of long-term use of carbamazepine (CBZ), valproate (VPA), and clonazepam (CZP) in epilepsy treatment. It found that side effects were rare during long-term use but common and usually transient during early treatment phases. CBZ's side effects included drowsiness, dizziness, and diplopia, with no cognitive disturbances, but it could cause leukopenia, hyponatremia, and rarely, agranulocytosis and hepatitis. VPA could lead to gastrointestinal issues, weight gain, hair loss, tremor, and sedation, with serious reactions like hepatitis and pancreatitis occurring mainly in multidrug therapy. CZP's initial side effects were drowsiness, ataxia, and behavioral changes, which were usually transient, with long-term use being mostly free of side effects except for tolerance development.