Levetiracetam: new preparation. For some patients with refractory partial epilepsy.
According to four placebo-controlled trials, levetiracetam (a piracetam derivative) reduces the frequency of seizures in 20 to 30% of patients with partial epilepsy when added to an existing but inadequate treatment. An indirect comparison suggests that levetiracetam is as effective as other second-line antiepileptics used for combination therapy.
D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D010889:Piracetam / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D010889:Piracetam