Regarding efficacy of new antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) for seizure control, there are three important clinical questions. How effective are new AEDs when corrected for the efficacy of placebo? And even more important: How do new AEDs fare in terms of seizure remission compared with established agents? And finally: Have patients seizure-free on new AEDs a better chance for lasting remission after ...

The global introduction of 14 new antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) over the past 20 years as adjunctive treatment in refractory epilepsy has triggered an increased interest in optimising combination therapy. With a widening range of available mechanisms of AED action, much activity has been focused on the defining and refining "rational polytherapy" with AEDs that have differing pharmacological prope...

Monitoring plasma levels of antiepileptic drugs for the treatment and prophylaxis of epilepsy is one of the strategies enabling clinical results to improve by reducing adverse affects and increasing effectiveness. The objective of this article is to review the basic aspects in the monitoring of antiepileptic drugs using a consensus document prepared and endorsed by the pharmacokinetics and phar...

Anti-epileptic medications encompass a wide range of drugs including anticonvulsants, benzodiazepines, enzyme inducers or inhibitors, with a variety effects, including induction of cytochrome P450 and other enzyme, which may lead to catabolism of vitamin D and hypocalcemia and other effects that may significantly effect the risk for low bone mass and fractures. With the current estimates of 50 ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Chemical properties of the widely used older generation antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) suggest that they might be responsible for a number of medical comorbidities. RECENT FINDINGS AEDs which induce the cytochrome P450 system adversely affect bone, lipid, and gonadal steroid metabolism. Specifically, phenytoin causes loss of bone mass in women, and both phenytoin and carbamazepi...

[PDF] [Full Text] [Abstract] 2008; 100 (3): 1160-1168. J Neurophysiol Alfredo Fontanini and Donald B. Katz Behavioral States, Network States, and Sensory Response Variability [PDF] [Full Text] [Abstract] , March 24, 2010; 30 (12): 4315-4324. J. Neurosci. Kopell and Donald B. Katz Adriano B. L. Tort, Alfredo Fontanini, Mark A. Kramer, Lauren M. Jones-Lush, Nancy J. Responses in the Awake Rat...

In recent years, the number of commercially available antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) has increased steadily. Although this may complicate management choices, it also offers welcome new options to individualize treatment more effectively. Because each of the available AEDs differs from others in many clinically relevant properties, opportunities to tailor drug treatment to the characteristics of the...

Epilepsy is a common disabling neurological disorder associated with increased rates of mood disorders especially depression as compared to the general population. Most antidepressants at therapeutic dosages exhibit a seizure risk. Some antidepressants may also display antiepileptic effects, especially at low doses, but the mechanism of this action is largely unknown. In general, the new antide...

OBJECTIVE To study the correlation of randomly-tested total antiepileptic plasma levels and seizure control in a retrospectively collected group of pregnant epileptic Saudi women. METHODS The medical records of 30 Saudi epileptic female patients were reviewed during their subsequent pregnancies (total of 50). The type of antiepileptic drugs used during each pregnancy, the dose of each drug an...