title: Dose issues in antiepileptic therapy.
abstract: Antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy is complex, with numerous traditional drugs and more than 10 second-generation drugs being approved since the mid-1990s. The burden of epilepsy is compounded by the adverse effects of these drugs, which comprise a variety of manifestations, the most devastating of which is their association with physical and cognitive foetal malformations in babies exposed to these agents in utero. Many effects are dose-related - a clear understanding of these adverse effects is desirable to be able to adjust medications and medication regimens to suit individual patient needs and to try to prevent them, by a careful introduction, slow escalation, well-considered combination and possible pre-exposure testing of patients for their tolerance, to each proposed AED. The overall problem and the profiles of the main agents are outlined from the perspective of dose-related issues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Neurosciences, Royal Melbourne Hospital and University of Melbourne, PO Box 2116, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia. Frank.Vajda@mh.org.au
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vajda
mesh_terms: D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001315:Australia; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants