Consumer medicine information

Levetiracetam-GH 250 mg Tablets

Levetiracetam

BRAND INFORMATION

Brand name

Levetiracetam-GH

Active ingredient

Levetiracetam

Schedule

S4

 

Consumer medicine information (CMI) leaflet

Please read this leaflet carefully before you start using Levetiracetam-GH 250 mg Tablets.

1. Why am I using Levetiracetam GH?


Levetiracetam GH contains the active ingredient levetiracetam. Levetiracetam GH is used to control epilepsy. For more information, see Section 1. Why am I using Levetiracetam GH? in the full CMI.

2. What should I know before I use Levetiracetam GH?


Do not use if you have ever had an allergic reaction to levetiracetam or any of the ingredients listed at the end of the CMI.
Talk to your doctor if you have any other medical conditions, take any other medicines, or are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding.
For more information, see Section 2. What should I know before I use Levetiracetam GH? in the full CMI.

3. What if I am taking other medicines?


Some medicines may interfere with Levetiracetam GH and affect how it works.
A list of these medicines is in Section 3. What if I am taking other medicines? in the full CMI.

4. How do I use Levetiracetam GH?

  • For patients 12 years of age and older, the dosage is generally between 1000 mg and 3000 mg each day, taken in two doses.
  • For children 4 to 11 years of age the doctor will calculate the dosage based on the child's weight and tell you how much to give. The medicine is to be given twice daily.

More instructions can be found in Section 4. How do I use Levetiracetam GH? in the full CMI.

5. What should I know while using Levetiracetam GH?

Things you should do
  • Tell your doctor immediately if you notice an increase in seizures.
  • Tell your doctor immediately if you have symptoms of depression or thoughts of harming yourself.
Things you should not do
  • Do not give Levetiracetam GH to anyone else, even if their symptoms seem similar to yours or they have the same condition as you.
  • Do not take Levetiracetam GH to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
Driving or using machines
  • Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how this medicine affects you. Children should be careful doing things like riding bicycles or climbing trees.
Drinking alcohol
  • Be careful when drinking alcohol while taking this medicine.
Looking after your medicine
  • Keep your tablets in the pack until it is time to take them.
  • Keep your tablets in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C.

For more information, see Section 5. What should I know while using Levetiracetam GH? in the full CMI.

6. Are there any side effects?


Common side effects include: dizziness, feeling weak, headache, common cold, upset stomach, diarrhoea, feeling tired, drowsy or sleepy.
Serious side effects include: mood changes such as depression, nervousness, aggression, anger, anxiety, confusion, hallucination, irritability, feelings of depression, upper respiratory tract infections, weight loss.
Very serious side effects include: thoughts of harming yourself, more frequent or more severe seizures, shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing, swelling, blistering or peeling skin around the face, lips, mouth, throat, tongue, genitals or other parts of the body, rash, itching or hives on the skin.
For more information, including what to do if you have any side effects, see Section 6. Are there any side effects? in the full CMI.

BRAND INFORMATION

Brand name

Levetiracetam-GH

Active ingredient

Levetiracetam

Schedule

S4

 

Notes

Distributed by Generic Health Pty Ltd

1 Name of Medicine

Levetiracetam.

2 Qualitative and Quantitative Composition

Each film-coated tablet contains 250 mg, 500 mg or 1000 mg levetiracetam.
For the full list of excipients, see Section 6.1 List of Excipients.

3 Pharmaceutical Form

Levetiracetam-GH tablets 250 mg. Blue, oblong-shaped, biconvex film-coated tablets, debossed with '250' on one side and score line on the other side.
Levetiracetam-GH tablets 500 mg. Yellow, oblong-shaped, biconvex film-coated tablets, debossed with '500' on one side and score line on the other side.
Levetiracetam-GH tablets 1000 mg. White to off white, oblong-shaped, biconvex film-coated tablets, debossed with '1000' on one side and score line on the other side.

4 Clinical Particulars

4.9 Overdose

The highest known dose of levetiracetam received in the clinical development program was 6000 mg/day.
Other than drowsiness, there were no adverse events in the few known cases of overdose in clinical trials. Cases of somnolence, agitation, aggression, depressed level of consciousness, respiratory depression and coma were observed with levetiracetam overdoses in post-marketing use.
Treatment. There is no specific antidote for levetiracetam. Treatment for an overdose will be symptomatic and may include haemodialysis. The dialyser extraction efficiency is 60% for levetiracetam and 74% for the major metabolite (ucb L057).
For information on the management of overdose, contact the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 (Australia).

5 Pharmacological Properties

5.3 Preclinical Safety Data

Genotoxicity. Levetiracetam was negative in gene mutation assays (bacterial, Chinese hamster ovary/ HGPRT locus) and in assays for chromosomal damage in vitro and in vivo (Chinese hamster ovary cells, mouse micronucleus assay). The hydrolysis product and major human metabolite (ucb L057) was not mutagenic in bacterial reverse mutation assays or the in vitro mouse lymphoma assay.
Carcinogenicity. There was no evidence of carcinogenicity following administration of levetiracetam in the diet to rats or orally to mice for 104 weeks, associated with respective systemic exposures (plasma AUC) up to fourfold and eight-fold that in humans at the maximal recommended clinical dose of 3000 mg/day.

6 Pharmaceutical Particulars

6.7 Physicochemical Properties

Levetiracetam is a pure enantiomer. It is a white to off white powder with a faint odour and a bitter taste. It is very soluble in water (104 g/100 mL). It is freely soluble in chloroform (65.3 mg/100 mL) and in methanol (53.6 g/100 mL), soluble in ethanol (16.5 g/100 mL), sparingly soluble in acetonitrile (5.7 g/100 mL) and practically insoluble in n-hexane.
Chemical structure.
https://stagingapi.mims.com/au/public/v2/images/fullchemgif/CSLEVETI.gif Chemical Name: (S)-alpha-ethyl-2-oxo-1-pyrrolidine acetamide.
Molecular Formula: C8H14N2O2.
Molecular Weight: 170.21.
CAS number. 102767-28-2.

7 Medicine Schedule (Poisons Standard)

(S4) Prescription-Only Medicine.

Summary Table of Changes

https://stagingapi.mims.com/au/public/v2/images/fulltablegif/LEVTGHST.gif