What is the drug topiramate used for?

Topiramate: a medicine to treat epilepsy and migraine – NHS.

What is the mechanism of action of topiramate?

By increasing GABA activity and inhibiting glutamate activity, topiramate blocks neuronal excitability, preventing seizures and migraines. Additionally, it blocks the voltage-dependent sodium channels, further blocking seizure activity.

What is topiramate also known as?

Topamax (topiramate) is a drug approved to treat seizures in adults and children and to reduce the frequency of migraine headaches in people 12 years of age and older.

What type of anticonvulsant is Topamax?

Topiramate is a medication used to manage and treat epilepsy and migraine, and it is in the second-generation anti-epileptic drugs class of drugs.

What are the main side effects of topiramate?

Side effects of topiramate
  • Feeling sick (nausea) Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food. …
  • Feeling sleepy, dizzy or tired. Do not drink alcohol, as this will make you feel more tired. …
  • Diarrhoea. …
  • Feeling depressed. …
  • Loss of appetite or weight loss.

Is topiramate an antipsychotic?

Topiramate has been approved as a weight loss drug with concomitant use of phentermine by the US Drug Administration (FDA) [33], and most previous studies’ results also revealed that topiramate has a significant antipsychotic effect and weight loss, although not all studies’ results related to the effects of topiramate …

Is topiramate an antidepressant?

The bottom line. Topamax isn’t approved to treat depression or bipolar disorder with depression, but it may be helpful for people who have not found relief with other mood-stabilizing drugs. For this reason, a doctor may decide, after careful evaluation, to prescribe Topamax off label for treating depression.

Is topiramate a beta blocker?

Topamax and propranolol belong to different drug classes. Topamax is an anticonvulsant and propranolol is a beta-blocker.

Is topiramate a mood stabilizer?

Topiramate is a novel anticonvulsant agent with a broad spectrum mechanism of action, and recent clinical reports indicate that it may have mood stabilizing properties in bipolar disorder.

Is topiramate a GABA agonist?

While its precise mechanism of action is unknown, topiramate may block sodium-channels, and act as a GABAA receptor agonist and an excitatory amino acid receptor antagonist Reis et al (2002). Its side effects include ataxia, drowsiness, psychomotor slowing, nausea, decreased concentration, and speech problems.

Does topiramate increase GABA?

Results: Topiramate increased mean brain GABA, homocarnosine, and pyrrolidinone concentrations in all patients. In paired measurements, brain GABA increased by 0.7 mol/g (SD 0.3, n 7, 95% CI 0.4 to 1.0, p 0.01).

Is topiramate a beta blocker?

Topamax and propranolol belong to different drug classes. Topamax is an anticonvulsant and propranolol is a beta-blocker.

Why is topiramate used for weight loss?

Topiramate is in a class of medications called anticonvulsants. It works by decreasing appetite and by causing feelings of fullness to last longer after eating.

What does topiramate do to your brain?

Topiramate is in a class of medications called anticonvulsants. It works by decreasing abnormal excitement in the brain.

Does Topamax affect serotonin levels?

Recent studies have found that a significant increase in mean plasma serotonin levels was observed with respect to the basal levels in patients taking topiramate compared to those of a control group.

Does Topamax affect dopamine?

Topiramate is one tool that can be used to fight substance use disorders. In addition to quelling seizures and preventing migraines, the medication reduces dopamine levels. Without as much dopamine in the system, cravings are diminished because the pleasurable reward feelings are gone or substantially reduced.

Can topiramate affect memory?

In clinical trials, topiramate caused, as one of the side effects, the reduction in verbal fluency and working memory both in patients with epilepsy (Zhang et al., 2011) and in alcohol addicts (Knapp et al., 2015).

How long can you be on topiramate?

Once your epilepsy is under control, you’ll usually need to keep taking topiramate for many years. If you’re taking topiramate for migraine you may be able to stop taking it after 6 to 12 months. Your doctor will help you do this gradually.

What medicines should not be taken with topiramate?

What not to take with topiramate?
  • Valproic acid (brand name examples: Depakote). …
  • Zonisamide (brand name example: Zonegran). …
  • Glaucoma medications, including eye drops.
  • Birth control pills. …
  • Any medicines that impair or decrease your thinking, concentration, or muscle coordination.

Can you take Topamax forever?

Topamax is safe for long-term use when taken as prescribed. However, several common and potentially severe side effects have been reported by a small number of patients. There are also quite a few drugs that can cause harmful interactions or become ineffective when taken in conjunction with Topamax.

Does topiramate cause slowed thinking?

‘Slowed thinking/cognitive impairment’ was reported in 9% of patients taking an average daily dose of 200–300 mg/day.