title: Antiepileptic drug therapy in the elderly.
abstract: Populations are aging, and the incidence of epilepsy is increased in the elderly population. These demographic facts emphasize the importance of understanding the use of antiepileptic drugs in older patients. Healthy elderly have expected alterations in renal blood flow, hepatic volume and function, and alterations in fat-to-lean ratio of body composition. All of these changes make elderly patients vulnerable to dose-related adverse effects of the standard antiepileptic drugs. Newly developed compounds without enzyme induction effects and renal routes of excretion may be more favorable for use in elderly patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical School, Houston 77030, USA.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Willmore
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged / Q000502:physiology*; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D004064:Digestive System / Q000503:physiopathology; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology; D008099:Liver / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D019338:Polypharmacy; D012640:Seizures / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants