title: [Eslicarbazepine acetate: a novel therapeutic alternative in the treatment of focal seizures].
abstract: Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases. In recent years an important number of drugs have been added to the therapeutic options we have available to us. With the aim of offering an optimal clinical effectiveness, the mechanisms of action or chemical structures of the antiepileptic drugs recently introduced onto the market have been modified with respect to the first, so-called classical or conventional, antiepileptics. Eslicarbazepine acetate belongs to this group of recently incorporated pharmaceuticals and is a novel single daily dose voltage-gated sodium channel blocker, which acts selectively in groups of rapid-activation neurons. It has been approved for indication in associated therapy in adults with partial onset seizures, with or without secondary generalisation. It is widely metabolised to eslicarbazepine and, to a lesser extent, to R-licarbazepine and oxcarbazepine. In 800 mg and 1200 mg doses it has been shown to bring about a significant reduction in a high percentage of patients with refractory epilepsy in simultaneous treatment with up to three antiepileptic drugs, and this effectiveness is maintained in open follow-up studies lasting up to a year. It is generally speaking well-tolerated; most of the adverse side-effects range in intensity from mild to moderate, and the percentage of patients who withdraw from treatment for this reason is low. Eslicarbazepine acetate is an alternative treatment in associated therapy in patients with partial epilepsy who do not respond adequately to treatment in monotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa, Zaragoza, España. jamauri@telefonica.net
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mauri-Llerda
mesh_terms: D003984:Dibenzazepines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D012640:Seizures / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D003984:Dibenzazepines; C416835:eslicarbazepine acetate