[Antiepileptic monotherapy and combination therapy of simple focal seizures]

According to present state of literature complete seizure control can be obtained in about 50% of patients with simple partial seizures. In several studies on previously untreated patients with simple partial seizures most patients became seizure-free with carbamazepine or phenobarbital or phenytoin or primidone or valproic acid used as monotherapy. Previous experience has shown that in patients whose seizures are not completely controlled by monotherapy drug combinations like carbamazepine with phenobarbital or primidone or valproic acid and phenytoin with phenobarbital or primidone or valproic acid should be initiated. Several animal experiments are suggestive for a synergistic effect of different antiepileptic drugs. In a previously published study on carbamazepine monotherapy, 6 out of 9 patients with simple partial seizures became seizure-free or improved markedly by this treatment.