title: Lamotrigine in epilepsy, pregnancy and psychiatry--a drug for all seasons?
abstract: Lamotrigine has been demonstrated to be effective as both an antiepileptic drug and a mood stabiliser. For epilepsy it is less efficacious than valproate in primary generalised epilepsy, but it is comparable to some traditional drugs in partial epilepsy. In psychiatry it has significant advantages over other mood stabilisers for the treatment and prevention of depressive phases of bipolar illness, but not for the treatment of mania. It has a more benign adverse effect profile than older antiepileptic agents and is not a proven teratogen. Risk of adverse reactions is reduced by commencing treatment at a markedly reduced dose that is gradually increased.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Grattan Street, Parkville 3050, Victoria, Australia. vajda@netspace.net.au
authors.forename: Frank J E
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Vajda
authors.forename: Seetal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dodd
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Horgan
mesh_terms: D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000209:etiology; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014227:Triazines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D014227:Triazines; D000077213:Lamotrigine