title: Monotherapy in epilepsy: role of the newer antiepileptic drugs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Monotherapy is the goal for pharmacological treatment of epilepsy. Well-controlled trials have established the efficacy of some of the newer antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) as monotherapy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review clinical data and expert opinions pertinent to the evaluation of most of the newer AEDs as monotherapy for epilepsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The MEDLINE database was searched for clinical trials using newer AEDs. Reference sections of review articles were manually searched to identify relevant studies not retrieved in MEDLINE.
  
  
  METHODS
  The resulting list of references was manually reviewed to identify monotherapy studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lamotrigine and oxcarbazepine demonstrated efficacy in randomized active-control trials in patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy and in substitution trials in patients refractory to conventional AEDs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lamotrigine and oxcarbazepine are as effective as conventional AEDs at controlling partial seizures and are better tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, NYU School of Medicine, 403 East 34th Street, New York, NY10016-4998, USA. blancavs@netscape.net
authors.forename: Blanca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vazquez
mesh_terms: D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D000078330:Oxcarbazepine; D014227:Triazines / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014227:Triazines; D002220:Carbamazepine; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D000078330:Oxcarbazepine