title: [Combined treatment with antiepileptic drugs. Andalusian Epilepsy Guide 2015].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to draw up a set of recommendations based on scientific evidence and in agreement with authors and reviewers, which address fundamental issues concerning the combination of antiepileptic drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A committee of 11 experts belonging to the Sociedad Andaluza de Epilepsia (SAdE--Andalusian Epilepsy Society), of whom seven were neurologists, three were neuropaediatricians and one was a neurologist-neurophysiologist, all of them with long experience in epilepsy, promoted a comprehensive literature review among 55 experts in epilepsy who were members of the SAdE, with the aim of searching for any evidence that might be available on diagnostic or therapeutic matters in epilepsy. The guidelines were set out in 35 chapters. One of the chapters addressed the combination of antiepileptic drugs in the treatment of epilepsy. Taking 77 bibliographical references and the consensus view of authors and reviewers as their starting point, a set of easily applicable recommendations were drawn up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combining antiepileptic drugs in patients with epilepsy whose seizures are not controlled with a single drug can, on many occasions, result in their going back into remission. There are a series of factors related with the type of epilepsy and characteristics of the patient and with the antiepileptic drugs to be used in combination that may favour a successful therapeutic outcome. Over-treatment with the combination of antiepileptic drugs must be avoided as far as possible. The results of this review provide a set of recommendations regarding combined treatment with antiepileptic drugs, based on scientific evidence and the agreement of authors, that are simple, useful and easy to apply at the different levels of healthcare.
authors: Hospital Clinico Universitario San Cecilio, 18012 Granada, Espana.
authors: Juan C
authors: JC
authors: Sánchez-Álvarez
authors: Julio
authors: J
authors: Ramos-Lizana
authors: Irene S
authors: IS
authors: Machado-Casas
authors: Pedro J
authors: PJ
authors: Serrano-Castro
authors: Jacinto L
authors: JL
authors: Martínez-Antón
authors: Jesús
authors: J
authors: Ruiz-Giménez
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015897:Comorbidity; D004351:Drug Resistance; D057915:Drug Substitution; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012955:Societies, Medical; D013030:Spain
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants