Levetiracetam Stada
Levetiracetam is a medicine used to treat seizures in people with epilepsy.
Form
tabletti, kalvopäällysteinen
Strength
500 mg
Active Ingredient
Levetiracetam
Manufacturer
STADA Arzneimittel AG
How to Use
Dosage
The usual dose is 1000 mg to 3000 mg per day. When starting, your doctor will give you a lower dose for two weeks, then gradually increase it.
Method
Swallow the tablets whole with liquid, with or without food, twice a day, in the morning and evening, at about the same time.
Important
The maximum daily dose is 3000 mg.
Possible Side Effects
COMMON
- •Cold-like symptoms (inflammation of the nose and throat)
- •Drowsiness or feeling sleepy
- •Headache
- •Loss of appetite
- •Feeling down, angry, aggressive, anxious, having trouble sleeping, or feeling nervous or irritable
- •Seizures, balance problems, dizziness or feeling unsteady, feeling very tired and lacking energy, shaking, or feeling like you're spinning
- •Cough
- •Stomach pain, diarrhea, upset stomach, throwing up, or feeling sick to your stomach
- •Skin rash
- •Weakness or tiredness
RARE
- •Lower numbers of blood cells that help stop bleeding (platelets), fight infection (white blood cells), or all types of blood cells
- •Weight loss or weight gain
- •Suicide attempt, thoughts of suicide, mental health problems, unusual behavior, seeing or hearing things that aren't real (hallucinations), anger, confusion, panic attacks, mood changes, agitation, personality changes, unusual thinking, delirium (severe confusion), or brain disease (encephalopathy)
- •Memory loss, trouble remembering, problems with coordination or unsteady movements, tingling or numbness, or difficulty paying attention
- •Double vision or blurry vision
- •Abnormal liver tests, liver failure, or liver inflammation
- •Hair loss, skin rash, itching, eczema, rash with blisters and target-like spots (erythema multiforme), widespread blistering and peeling skin (Stevens-Johnson syndrome), or severe skin peeling over more than 30% of the body (toxic epidermal necrolysis)
- •Muscle weakness, muscle pain, uncontrollable muscle twitches in head, body, or limbs, overly active muscles, or muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis) with high levels of a muscle enzyme
- •Injury
- •Infection
- •Low sodium levels in the blood
- •Seizures may get worse or happen more often
- •Change in heart rhythm (seen on an ECG test)
- •Inflammation of the pancreas (a gland that helps with digestion)
- •Sudden kidney failure
- •Limping or difficulty walking
Important Warnings
- Do not take if you are allergic to levetiracetam or any other ingredients in this medicine.
- Talk to your doctor if you have kidney problems, as your dose may need to be changed.
- Contact your doctor if your child's growth slows down or puberty develops unexpectedly.
- Talk to your doctor if you have symptoms of depression, thoughts of harming yourself, or notice big changes in your mood or behavior (e.g., unusual thoughts, irritability, aggression).
- Talk to your doctor if you or your family have a history of irregular heart rhythm or are being treated for conditions that affect heart rhythm.
Show 4 more warnings
- Contact your doctor as soon as possible if your seizures get worse or happen more often, especially at the start of treatment.
- Avoid driving or using machines if this medicine makes you drowsy, until you know how it affects you.
- Do not take macrogol (a laxative) one hour before or after taking this medicine, as it can reduce the effect.
- Do not stop taking this medicine suddenly without talking to your doctor, as this can increase your seizures.
Use in Elderly Patients
Category C
Suitable for older adults, with specific precautions. Sedative. Reduce the dose already in mild renal impairment. Consider possibility of mental disorders. (updated 6.10.2025)