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Susan T. Herman, MD; Timothy A. Pedley, MD

JAMA. 1998;280:693-694.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

INTRODUCTION

EPILEPSY is one of the most common neurologic disorders; it affects about 1% of the population in the United States and Canada.¹ Despite treatment with traditional antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), more than 30% of patients with epilepsy either have inadequate seizure control or experience significant adverse drug effects. In the past 4 years, new options for the medical treatment of epilepsy have been introduced, including novel AEDs, improved formulations of older AEDs, and the vagus nerve stimulator (VNS). The new AEDs differ from older agents in several important ways, including mechanism of action, spectrum of activity, pharmacokinetics, and adverse effect profiles (Table 1).

Table appears in full text version. Dosing Parameters (Adults), Pharmacokinetics, and Adverse Effects of New Antiepileptic Drugs*

The New AEDs

Felbamate (Felbatol)

Felbamate's mechanisms of action remain unknown.² It has more complicated pharmacokinetics and more drug interactions than the other new AEDs. Because potentially fatal adverse effects of aplastic . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Gabapentin (Neurontin)

Lamotrigine (Lamictal)

Topiramate (Topamax)

Tiagabine (Gabitril)

Vigabatrin (Sabril)

Vagus Nerve Stimulator

Treatment of Partial Seizures

Treatment of Other Seizure Types

Treatment of Repetitive Seizures

Conclusions

From the Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University and The Neurological Institute at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY.

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RELATED LETTER

Contempo 1998: New Treatments for Epilepsy
Peter W. Kaplan
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