Hyponatraemia during Low-Dose Carbamazepine Therapy

We report the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis as a much earlier side-effect of carbamazepine administration in a 29-year Nigerian female patient with generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Although asymptomatic, the biochemical abnormality improved after discontinuation of carbamazepine. Hyponatraemia developed after rechallenge with controlled release carbamazepine. The authors suggest that serum sodium levels be carried out before commencement of carbamazepine and caution be used in prescribing carbamazepine to patients with low or borderline low sodium values.