Emerging drugs for partial onset seizures.
BACKGROUND
Patients with epilepsy have recurrent unproved seizures. Epilepsy is common, with a prevalence range that centers at around 1%. Patients with epilepsy can have a poor quality of life and suffer significant social stigma. Despite the availability of a large number of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) including standard and newer ones, a significant percentage of patients with epilepsy remain poorly controlled.


METHODS
In this review, we briefly summarize data on the available AEDs, then present current information on the emerging AEDs, including their chemical structure, pharmacology, mechanism of action, and efficacy and adverse event profile in clinical trials. The AEDs included are rufinamide, lacosamide, eslicarbazepine, retigabine, brivaracetam, ganaxolone, stiripentol and carisbamate. Most of the literature related to these AEDs was published in the past 5 years.


RESULTS
The reader will become familiar with the pharmacology of emerging AEDs and the results of clinical trials with these AEDs. The reader will also be able to assess the advantages of AEDs and their potential respective places in the treatment of epilepsy.


CONCLUSIONS
The emerging AEDs offer predominantly improved pharmacokinetics and tolerability and occasionally new mechanisms of action. They will probably have a modest impact on drug-resistant epilepsy.
Nasreddine
Wassim
W
Rafik Hariri University Hospital, Department of Neurology, Bir Hasan, Beirut, Lebanon.
Beydoun
Ahmad
A
Atweh
Samir
S
Abou-Khalil
Bassel
B
D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D015195:Drug Design; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000927:Anticonvulsants