Background:
Oropharyngeal dysphagia is a common finding in individuals with progressive neurological disease. Not only are some of these individuals are more susceptible to iatrogenic causes, but they are also exposed to certain medications that may impair oropharyngeal coordination.
Certain antiepileptic drugs are documented to cause swallowing difficulties even though their effects on the nervous system do not typically cause oropharyngeal dysfunction. A study on iatrogenic causes of oropharyngeal dysphagia stated that antiseizure medications such as valproic acid, carbamazepine, and phenytoin should be used cautiously in patients at risk for dysphagia from underlying neurologic disease (1). Carbamazepine has been described to decrease awareness and voluntary muscle control that may affect swallowing. This is a case report about a patient who presented with oropharyngeal dysphagia that improved significantly after discontinuation of carbamazepine.