[Pharmacotherapy of epilepsy]

Antiepileptic drug treatment is essential and provides excellent therapeutic effects in more than the two-third of the epileptic patients. The antiepileptic drugs influence the chronic hyperexcitability of the brain developed during the epileptogenesis. As an effect, it decreases the excitability and/or increases the inhibition of the pathological cells, which prevents the precipitation of the epileptic seizure (anticonvulsive effect). The anticonvulsive effect comes into operation by the influence of the transport of one ore more ion-channels. The anticonvulsive effect is only symptomatic and it doesn't cure the disorder. The drug selection is based on the knowledge of the therapeutic markers and the effectiveness of the drug to be used. This can occur on the basis of the action of the drug or in syndrome-specific way. The pharmacokinetic properties of the drugs determine how they can be used in the practice. The drug interactions can take place in several levels. Among them, the change of the metabolism is the most important. Acute dose-dependent side effects, organ-specific chronic interactions and idiosyncratic reactions must be taken into consideration during the use of antiepileptic drugs. The patient's individual aspects must be considerably taken into account during the treatment. There are other medical areas that can benefit from the antiepileptic drugs. Among them, the most important diseases are: restless legs syndrome, neuropathic pain, trigeminal neuralgia, essential tremor, bulimia and bipolar disorders. There are other pharmacological (adrenocorticotropic hormone, immunoglobulins, neurosteroids) and dietary methods, which may be effective at certain epileptic syndromes. The principles of the pharmacotherapy have been changing continuously during the past decades and since. New drugs have been introduced into the marketing and new expectations are coming into the limelight concerning the treatment. As a consequence this will bring on the modification of antiepileptic drug therapeutic habits.