Anticonvulsants for Pharmacology and Therapeutics Flashcards
What is an epileptic seizure?
Manifestation of an abnormal or excessive synchronised discharge of a set of cerebral neurones
What are types of seizures
General
Partial
5 types of general seizure
Tonic-clonic Tonic Myoclonic Status eplipticus Absence
Features of tonic clonic seizures
Loss of conciousness
Muscle stiffening which leads to jerking
Deep sleep
What happens in absence features
Brief staring with behavioural arrest
What happens in tonic/atonic seizures
Sudden stiffening and loss of muscle control
What happens in myoclonic seizures
Sudden and brief muscle contractions
What happens in status epilepticus
Over 5 mins of continuous seizure
Types of partial seizures
Simple
Complex
What happens in simple partial seizure
Retained consciousness
What happens in complex partial seizure
Impaired consciousness
Difference between partial and general seizure
General simultaneously begins in both hemispheres of the brain whereas partial begins in particular area and may spread out
2 ways to diagnose epilepsy
EEG
MRI
Protein associated with docking of glutamate vesicle to presnaptic membrane
SVA2
2 most significant glutamate receptors
NMDA
Kainate
What state is VGSC in before it fully depolarises
Inactive
Pharmacodynamics of carbamazepine
Stabilises inactive state of Na+ channel
Pharmacokinetics of carbamazepine
Enzyme inducer
Onset of activity is 1 hour
16-30hr half life
Issue of carbamazepine
Severe skin side effects if have HLA-B-1502 allele
Pharmacodynamics of lamotrigine
Inactivates Na+ channels
Pharmacokinetics of lamotrigine
Onset activity of 1 hour
24-34 hr half life
What is lamotrigine used for
Tonic clonic and ascence seizures
What is carbamazepine used for
Tonic clonic and partial seizures
Pharmacodynamics of ethosuximide
T-type Ca channel antagonist
