title: Compulsive gambling possibly associated with antiepileptic medication.
abstract: Compulsive gambling is recognized with Parkinson's disease treatment with dopamine agonists but has not been reported with antiepileptic medications (AEMs) in epilepsy. This is the first report regarding possible compulsive gambling, provoked by AEMs in a patient with idiopathic generalized epilepsy, who presented with nonconvulsive status epilepticus, having previously not achieved seizure control with carbamazepine, valproate, (VPA), topiramate, gabapentin (GPT), lamotrigine (LTG), and clobazam. Levetiracetam (LEV) was added to VPA and GPT, which the patient was already taking and LTG subsequently retrialed. Following the reintroduction of LTG, she lost $4000-5000, which she concealed. With better seizure control, VPA and GPT were withdrawn, leaving her on LEV and LTG. With increased LTG dosage, she lost $50,000, prompting discovery of her gambling.
authors: Marima Medical Clinic, Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia.
authors: Susanne
authors: S
authors: Storrier
authors: Strategic Health Evaluators, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia ; Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia ; University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors: Roy G
authors: RG
authors: Beran
keywords: Adverse events; Antiepileptic drugs; Compulsive gambling