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The ideal characteristics of antiepileptic therapy: an overview of old and new AEDs
Author(s) -
Steinhoff B. J.,
Hirsch E.,
Mutani R.,
Nakken K. O.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0404.2003.01311.x
Subject(s) - epilepsy , tolerability , medicine , antiepileptic drug , intensive care medicine , psychiatry , pharmacology , adverse effect
New and improved anti‐epileptic drugs (AEDs) have made the concept of choice, according to the individual prognosis and probable response to specific regimens, increasingly feasible. Inter‐individual variability in syndrome severity and complexity make individualization necessary. We propose three categories of disorder control according to the individual objectives of the patient: (1) seizure control, (2) epilepsy control and ultimately, (3) “epilepsy cure”; the latter remaining a largely idealistic target today. An AED is likely to be successful if it exhibits “optimal” characteristics, such as drug efficacy, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, interactions and cost‐effectiveness. This review discusses the “optimal” characteristics of add‐on AEDs, which, in addition to seizure control, will contribute to the achievement of epilepsy control and therefore address the currently unmet clinical needs of epilepsy treatment.