Antiepileptic drugs--a review

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Epilepsy affects ~1% of the population, with seizures occurring in 10% of individuals during their lifetime.
• Treatment has evolved from bromides to include medications, devices, and surgery.
• Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are primary treatments, with ~70% of children achieving seizure control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of currently available antiepileptic drugs (AEDs).
• To highlight the expanding choices and novel mechanisms of newer AEDs.
• To address the challenges in selecting initial AEDs due to limited comparative efficacy data.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on antiepileptic drugs.
• Analysis of the evolution and availability of AEDs.
• Discussion of treatment modalities for epilepsy.

Main Results:

• Over 24 AEDs are currently available, offering diverse mechanisms of action and improved safety profiles.
• Tailored treatment plans are possible due to the expanded choice of AEDs.
• Despite advancements, drug-resistant epilepsy prevalence remains unchanged, indicating a need for disease-modifying therapies.

Conclusions:

• The increasing number of AEDs provides more options for epilepsy management.
• Current AEDs effectively manage seizure symptoms but do not address epileptogenesis.
• Further research is needed to develop therapies that target the underlying mechanisms of epilepsy and improve outcomes for drug-resistant cases.