Brivaracetam (Oral)

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on May 10, 2022.

Commonly used brand name(s)

In the U.S.

Briviact

Available Dosage Forms:

Tablet
Solution

Therapeutic Class: Anticonvulsant

Uses for brivaracetam

Brivaracetam is used to help control partial onset seizures in the treatment of epilepsy. Brivaracetam cannot cure epilepsy and will only work to control seizures for as long as you continue to use it.

Brivaracetam is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Before using brivaracetam

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For brivaracetam, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to brivaracetam or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of brivaracetam in children 1 month of age and older. However, safety and efficacy have not been established in children younger than 1 month of age.

Geriatric

Although appropriate studies on the relationship of age to the effects of brivaracetam have not been performed in the geriatric population, no geriatric-specific problems have been documented to date. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related liver, kidney, or heart problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving brivaracetam.

Breastfeeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking brivaracetam, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using brivaracetam with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Calcifediol
Rifampin

Interactions with food/tobacco/alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Brivaracetam