(Click Equetro Uses for more information on what the medication is used for, including possible off-label uses.)
Equetro is manufactured by Shire US, Inc. and is marketed and distributed by Validus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
It is not known how exactly Equetro works for
bipolar disorder treatment. In fact, carbamazepine (the active ingredient of Equetro) was originally developed as a
seizure medication and is still one of the most commonly used medications to treat
seizures. Equetro affects several different brain chemicals -- though it is not known if this is how it works for bipolar disorder.
Two studies have evaluated the safety and efficacy of Equetro for treating bipolar disorder. In these studies, people with bipolar disorder having a manic episode or mixed episode were treated with either Equetro or a sugar pill (placebo). Those being treated with Equetro had more improvement in their
bipolar disorder symptoms, compared with those taking the placebo. It is important to understand that these studies were short (only three weeks long), and Equetro has not been shown effective for long-term use.
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