Using the new antiepilepsy drugs in children.
New epilepsy treatment options are becoming available to physicians and may help provide safe and effective seizure management in patients for whom traditional drug therapies have been unsuccessful. Presented here is a brief discussion on the screening models used to test drugs for efficacy against various seizure types and the mechanisms of action and pharmacology of antiepilepsy drugs. This is followed by a more detailed review of the clinical pharmacology of the latest three antiepilepsy drugs introduced to the United States: levetiracetam, oxcarbazepine, and zonisamide. All three appear to have advantages over some traditional antiepilepsy drugs and with more clinical experience may replace them in certain seizure types or epilepsy syndromes.
Wheless
James W
JW
Department of Neurology, University of Texas at Houston, 77030, USA. james.w.wheless@uth.tmc.edu
D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007555:Isoxazoles / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D000078330:Oxcarbazepine; D010889:Piracetam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000078305:Zonisamide
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D007555:Isoxazoles; D002220:Carbamazepine; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D000078305:Zonisamide; D000078330:Oxcarbazepine; D010889:Piracetam