GoodRx Holdings Inc.
08/20/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/20/2024 14:43
Briviact Dosages: Your GoodRx Guide
Key takeaways:
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Briviact (brivaracetam) is used to treat certain types of seizures in adults and children at least 1 month old. It comes as an oral tablet, an oral liquid, and an injectable. The injectable can be used for up to 4 days if you can't swallow the tablets or liquid.
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The usual adult Briviact dosage is 50 mg by mouth twice daily. The maximum dosage is 100 mg twice daily. The usual dosage for children depends on their age and weight. But children 16 years and older or who weigh more than 50 kg (110 pounds) follow the adult dosage.
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Suddenly stopping Briviact can cause withdrawal. Symptoms of withdrawal include seizures and status epilepticus. You can prevent withdrawal by taking Briviact as prescribed.
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Table of contents
Briviact (brivaracetam) is a medication that treats seizures in adults and children ages 1 month and older. You may take Briviact alone (monotherapy) or with other antiseizure medications (adjunctive therapy).
Here, we'll look at the recommended Briviact dosages for adults and children. We'll also explore what to do if you miss a dose or accidentally take too much Briviact.
What dosage forms does Briviact come in?
Briviact comes as an oral tablet, an oral solution (liquid), and an injection given into a vein. The different Briviact dosage forms and their available doses are summarized in the chart below.
EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT
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Briviact side effects: Learn what side effects are possible while taking Briviact and when to seek medical care.
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Living with epilepsy: Here's a firsthand account of how to live a full life after an epilepsy diagnosis.
|
Dosage form |
Available doses |
|
Oral tablet |
• 10 mg (white) |
|
Oral solution |
• 10 mg/mL (raspberry flavored) |
|
IV injection |
• 50 mg/5 mL |
You can take oral forms of Briviact with or without food. But taking it with food may help prevent nausea, a common Briviact side effect.
Talk to your prescriber about taking the oral solution if you or your child have trouble swallowing tablets. If you're taking the oral solution, be sure to use a measuring spoon or syringe provided by your pharmacy. A household teaspoon is not an accurate measuring device.
Good to know: Briviact injection is only recommended for short-term use (up to 4 days) if you or your child are unable to swallow the oral tablets or liquid. In some cases, your prescriber may start with the IV form of Briviact in the hospital before switching you to an oral dosage form. Since the IV form is administered in a hospital setting, we'll be sticking to the oral dosage forms of Briviact in this article.
What's the typical Briviact dosage for adults?
The usual Briviact dosage for adults and adolescents ages 16 and over starts at 50 mg twice daily. But dosages may range between 25 mg and 100 mg twice daily. Your prescriber will adjust your dose as needed until your seizures are well controlled.
What's the typical Briviact dosage for children?
The usual Briviact dosage for children is based on their body weight as shown in the following table.
|
Weight |
Recommended dosage |
Maximum dosage |
|
50 kg or more (under 16 years old) |
25-50 mg twice daily |
100 mg twice daily |
|
20 kg - less than 50 kg (110 pounds) |
0.5 -1 mg/kg twice daily |
2 mg/kg twice daily |
|
11 kg - less than 20 kg (44 pounds) |
0.5 -1.25 mg/kg twice daily |
2.5 mg/kg twice daily |
|
Less than 11 kg (24 pounds) |
0.75 -1.5 mg/kg twice daily |
3 mg/kg twice daily |
Are there any dosage adjustments for medical conditions?
Your liver breaks down Briviact so your body can get rid of the medication. If you have liver problems, you may not be able to remove Briviact as well. That means the medication can build up in your body, increasing your risk of side effects.
You'll likely need a lower Briviact dosage if you're living with liver problems. For adults, doses over 75 mg twice daily (150 mg per day) aren't recommended. Your prescriber will let you know if this applies to you.
What happens if you miss a dose of Briviact?
If you miss a dose of Briviact, take it as soon as you remember. But if it's close to your next scheduled dose, skip the missed dose. Don't take two doses to make up for the one you missed.
If you miss more than one dose of Briviact, contact your prescriber for guidance. Suddenly stopping Briviact raises your risk of seizures. It may also lead to a serious seizure complication known as status epilepticus.
Taking Briviact at the same time every day can help you remember to take it. A medication reminder app or medication organizer can also help.
What should you do if you take too much Briviact?
If you accidentally take an extra dose of Briviact, it's unlikely to cause serious problems. You may experience more side effects, such as drowsiness and dizziness.
Large amounts of Briviact may lead to more serious side effects, such as double vision, a slow heart rate, and trouble with balance. If you or a loved one takes more Briviact than recommended, contact your prescriber or call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. They can help you figure out the next best steps.
If any symptoms appear that seem life-threatening, seek emergency care.
How to save on Briviact
There are ways to save on Briviact, which is only available as a brand-name medication. GoodRx can help you navigate between patient assistance programs and copay savings cards to save money on your prescription.
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Save with a copay savings card. If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible to pay as little as $10 for a 30-day supply of Briviact using a savings card from the manufacturer.
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Save with patient assistance programs. If you're uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for Briviact's patient assistance program, which offers the medication free of cost.
The bottom line
Briviact (brivaracetam) is a medication that treats seizures in adults and children ages 1 month and older. It comes as an oral tablet, an oral solution (liquid), and an injection into a vein. The usual Briviact dosage for adults starts at 50 mg by mouth twice daily. The Briviact dosage for children is based on their body weight.
You may need a lower Briviact dosage if you have liver problems. Your prescriber will help determine the best Briviact dosage for you based on your medical history.
References
Hixson, J. D. (2010). Stopping antiepileptic drugs: When and why?Current Treatment Options in Neurology.
Khaleghi, F., et al. (2016). Brivaracetam (Briviact): A novel adjunctive therapy for partial-onset seizures. Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
View All References (2)
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MedlinePlus. (2021). Brivaracetam.
UCB, Inc. (2023). Briviact [package insert]. DailyMed.
GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.
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