epilepsy 4 Flashcards
properties of an ideal AED
- no monitoring of plasma concs
- doesn’t induce/inhibit hepatic metabolising enzymes
- no adverse drug rxns
- well tolerated with no LT safety problems
- taken once/twice a day
How to initiate AEDs?
- only afrer diagnosis of epilepsy (after 2nd epileptic seizure)
- on/recommendation of specialist
- after consultation between patient/family
- choice of AED based on epilepsy syndrome
Tx for generalised tonic-clonic seizures - women
1 - lamotrigine
2 - carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine
Tx for generalised tonic-clonic seizures - other patients
1 - sodium valproate
2 - lamotrigine, carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine
Tx for absence seizures - women
1 - ethosuximide
2 - lamotrigine
Tx for absence seizures - others
1 - ethosuximide, sodium valorpoate
2 - lamotrigine
Tx for myoclonic seizures - women
levetiracetam or topiramate
Tx for myoclonic seizures - others
1 - sodium valproate
2 - levetiracetam or topiramate
Tx for tonic/atonic seizures - others
sodium valorpate
Tx for focal - women
1 - lamotrigine
2 - levetiracetam, oxcarbazepine
Tx for focal seizures - others
1 - lamotrigine, carbamazepine
2 - levetiracetam, oxcarbazepine, sodium valproate
how to initiate AED monotherapy
- use 1st line drug for seizure type
- start at low dose
- gradually inc dose until seizures stop (or adverse effects)
- adjest drug dose to minimal effective AED dose or optimal maintenance dose
- monitor AED response (seizure frequency, epileptic disaharges, adverse effects)
how to switch from one AED to another is seizures uncontrolled
- review diagnosis, aetiology, compliance
- start low dose of another 1st line drug for the seizure type
- gradually inc dose until seizures stop
- start gradual tapering off and WD of the 1st drug
advantages of monotherapy
- high efficacy
- better tolerated than multiple drug therpay
- easy management
- simple
- no adverse AED interacitons
- cost effective
When is combination/polytherapy used?
patients with continued seizures despite 1st/2nd/3rd monotherapy with max tolerated doses
What can AED combinations lead to?
infra-additive (antaginistic) interactions
additive interactions
supra-additive (synergistic) interactions
how to initiate polytherapy?
- establish optimal dose of baseline AED
- add drug with different/multiple mechanisms/MOA
- titrate new AED slowly/carefully
- be prepared to erduce dose of original AED
- replace less effective drug if response still poor
- try rang of duotherapies
- add 3rd drug if seizure control still sub-optimal
how to improve compliance
- adequate/clear info about AED Tx
- drug therapy: monotherapy, simple, introduce drugs slowly
- aide memoire: reminders, drug wallet
- reinforcement at regular clinic follow up visits
Whan can you get drug interactions with AEDs?
- polytherapy
- co-medication due to co-morbidity
- AEDs have narrow therapeutic window
- AED induction/metabolism of major hepatic drug metabolising enzymes
- most AEDs are substrates of hepatic metabolising enzymes
examples of hepatic metabolising enzyme induction
CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP3A4
glucuronyl transferases (GT)
epoxide hydrolases
mechanism of hepatic metabolising ezyme induction interaction with AEDs
these enzymes lead to rapid clearance of substrate drugs
can lead to build up of active/toxic metabolites
AED inducer drugs
carbamazepine
phenytoin
phenobarbitone
primidone
AED weak inducers
eslicarbazepine oxcarbazepine felbamate rufinamide topiramate (>200mg/d) perampanel (>8mg/d)
strong AED inhibitors
valproate
stiripentol
felbamate