[Use of carbamazepine in trigeminal neuralgia].

The treatment efficiency was compared to blood carbamazepine++ levels in patients with trigeminal neuralgia which were treated with the drug over a long period. The parameters displayed a good (r = 0.70) correlation that resulted in a tendency to increase treatment effect with carbamazepine++ plasma concentration increase. The treatment proved most efficient and side effect-free in a concentration range of 5 to 10 micrograms/ml. The data on blood carbamazepine++ concentrations may be helpful in designing a controlled course of treatment.