Brivaracetam information sheet

Brivaracetam is taken twice daily at approximately the same time of day. It can be taken with or without food. 

Brivaracetam comes as a liquid or a tablet. It is best to swallow the tablets whole, but if necessary can be crushed. Follow the advice of your doctor. 

Monitoring and medication levels 

Your doctor may do a blood test to check the blood counts a few weeks after you start the medication. However, once the patient is stable on Brivaracetam, ongoing blood tests are usually not required. 

• If your child vomits within 30 minutes after having their dose, then repeat the dose.
• If it is longer than 30 minutes since having the dose you do not need to repeat the dose, but if vomiting or diarrhoea continues, seek medical help.

• If a dose is missed, it should be taken as soon as it is remembered.
• The next due dose should be taken at the usual time.
• However, if the missed dose is remembered in close proximity to the next due dose (within 3 to 4 hours of the next dose), please seek medical advice.
• Contact your treating GP, epilepsy nurse, paediatrician or neurologist if you are unsure about what to do.

• Store your tablets & oral solution in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 30°C away from moisture, heat or sunlight.
• Oral solution - Dispose of any unused oral solution within 5 months of opening the bottle.

This information is from NPS MedicineWise

Brivaracetam cannot be stopped suddenly – withdrawal of the medication needs to be supervised by your doctor. 

All drugs may cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects. Side effects are usually experienced when the medication is first started, or when the dose is increased and usually settle down with time. 

Possible side effects include: 

• Drowsiness, feeling tired
• Feeling upset or irritable
• Dizziness or headache
• Feeling sick, diarrhoea or constipation
• Difficulty sleeping/anxiety
• Behavioural difficulties 

More medically serious side effects 

• Allergic reaction that may cause difficulty with breathing
• Abnormal blood count (low white blood cells)
• Changes in mood that may lead to aggression or abnormal behaviour
• Suicidal ideation (very rare) 

These are not all the side effects that may occur. Call your doctor or get medical help if the side effects bother your child or do not go away. Emergency assistance may be required if your child experiences any of the more serious side effects.  

Pregnancy and contraception 

• As Brivaracetam is one of the newer medications, information about its effects during pregnancy is still being collected. If a pregnancy is planned, a discussion with your neurologist is recommended. For further information, refer to the reproductive health page.
• Other medications including other anti-epileptics may interact with Brivaracetam and alter its levels in the blood. Brivaracetam can also change the level of other medications in the blood so always tell your doctor that your child is taking Brivaracetam. It is also important that you tell your doctor if you are giving your child herbal or complementary medicines. The doctor can check to make sure they are compatible.
• Brivaracetam and Levetiracetam cannot be taken at the same time.