Anti Seizure Medications

Anti Seizure Medications are myriad in number, as there are myriad number of seizures too.

There are many different ways of classifying these medications, also called as AEDs (Antiepileptic drugs). You may classify them based on their chemical nature, their mechanism of action, the type of seizure they control etc.

From the clinical perspective the most important classification is based on the type of seizure they can control and that classification is what I have used below.

AEDS useful for petit mal (absence seizures):

• Ehosuximide
• Sodium valproate
• Lamotrigine
• Topiramate
• Benzodiazepines like diazepam, clonazepam

AED that is useful against only petit mal seizures:

• Ethosuximide

Medications that are mostly used for partial seizures (for partial seizures like simple partial seizures, complex partial seizures, and for partial seizures with or without secondary generalization);

• Carbamazepine
• Oxcarbazpine
• Tiagabine
• Gabapentin
• Pregabalin
• Lacosamide etc

Broad spectrum antiepileptic medications (useful for varities of seizures like partial, generalized- primary or secondary types, myoclonic seizures etc);

• Sodium Valproate
• Lamotrigine
• Topiramate
• Levetiracetam
• Clonazepam
• Pheobarbitone

Sodium valproate may be considered as one of the broadest spectrum AED available currently since it can be used against almost all kinds of known seizures. Even topiramate possesses this very broad spectrum activity.

Seizure meds are usually the first line of treatment for the control of the seizures along with treating the cause for the seizure and also reducing or avoiding the seizure triggers like sleep deprivation, hypoglycemia, stress, avoiding alcohol etc. Usually a single seizure med is started first, the safest and the most effective med for the type of seizure the patient is having and then the dose is optimized as necessary and as tolerated, if a single med is not sufficient to control the seizures then more meds may need to be added. The dose of the seizure med is decided based on the seizure control and also for certain seizure meds there are blood tests available to check their blood concentration so that the dosage can be optimized accordingly.

It is important to note that anti seizure medications are the mainstay of seizure management and the careful selection of the right seizure med will go a long way in keeping the seizures under bay.