Ref: Lavikainen P, Taipale H, Tanskanen A; Koponen M, Tiihonen J, Hartikainen S, Tolppanen AM:
Antiepileptic drugs and accumulation of hospital days among persons with Alzheimer's disease.
The animal group treatment with a combination of both 50 mg/kg of ESAF and low dose (70 mg/kg) of valproate exhibited a significant
antiepileptic activity even better than the standard valproate (100 mg/kg)-treated group.
The association of
antiepileptic drug use with dementia was investigated in a sample from a large German statutory health insurance provider, Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse (AOK).
In a study carried out in UK Southampton General Hospital, to investigate nonadherence to
antiepileptic drug treatment among patients with epilepsy in secondary care and the associations between adherence and seizure control, perceptions of illness and medication, anxiety and depression, of 54 patients, 59% were estimated to be nonadherent to medication.
Each group comprised of 100 subjects labeled as Group-A (control group had healthy individuals), Group-B (newly diagnosed epileptic patients without
antiepileptic therapy), Group-C (epileptic patients on Carbamazepine therapy, which was further subdivided into C-I having epileptic patients on Carbamazepine therapy less than 1 year n = 33, C-II had epileptic patients on Carbamazepine therapy 1-2 years n = 33 and C-III comprised of epileptic patients on Carbamazepine therapy more than 2 years n = 34).
The Epilepsy Birth Control Registry enrolled women with epilepsy aged 18-47 years who had a history of using at least one form of contraception while on
antiepileptic treatment, and the 1,144 women who completed the survey reported a total of 2,712 contraceptive experiences.
Many of the challenges posed by treating elderly patients are due to age-related changes in pharmacokinetics of
antiepileptic drugs (AEDs).
Antiepileptic medications are known to have deleterious effects on the foetus when used in the antenatal period.
The results of a trial reported in Epilepsia reveal a beneficial effect for calcium and vitamin D in helping to protect against the loss of bone density that is associated with the use of
antiepileptic drugs.*
WASHINGTON --
Antiepileptic drug reduction should be considered in children who are seizure free after epilepsy surgery, according to findings from a retrospective chart study.
The Question: Does the use of
antiepileptic drugs while breastfeeding affect the child's IQ at age six years?
The FDA cited data from the Neurodevelopmental Effects of
Antiepileptic Drugs study, published in March 2013, which found that at age 6, children whose mothers had taken valproate products while pregnant had lower IQs, compared with those whose mothers took other
antiepileptic drugs.
