Table 3. Indications, Availability, and Adverse Effects of Select Oral Antiepileptic Agents
| Drug (Manufacturer) |
>FDA Approval Date | FDA-Approved Indications | Availability | Adverse Effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Felbamate (Wallace Labs) |
1993 | 1) Add-on
or monotherapy for seizures serious enough to warrant risk in patients > 14 years 2) Seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) not well controlled in children > 2 years |
400- and 600-mg scored
tablets;
|
Anorexia, vomiting, insomnia, aplastic anemia, hepatoxicity, weight loss |
| Gabapentin (Parke-Davis) |
1993 | Add-on therapy in partial seizures with or without secondary generalization in patients > 12 years | 100-, 300-, and 400-mg capsules; 600- and 800-mg tablets; 250 mg/5 ml oral solution | Somnolence, fatigue, ataxia, dizziness, GI upset, dyspnea, weight gain |
| Lamotrigine (Glaxo Wellcome) |
1994 | 1) Add-on therapy for
partial seizures with or without secondary generalization patients >
16 years 2) Add-on therapy for treatment of generalized seizures associated with LGS in adults and children (>2 years) |
25-, 100-, 150-, and 200-mg scored tablets; 2-, 5-, and 25-mg chewable disperable tablets | Skin rash, including life threatening rashes, dizziness, ataxia, blurred vision, nausea |
| Tiagabine (Cephalon) |
1997 | Add-on therapy for partial seizures in children > 12 years and adults | 2-, 4-, 12-, 16-, and 20-mg tablets | Tremor, nervousness, emotional changes |
| Topiramate (Ortho-McNeil) |
1996 | 1)
Add-on therapy in primary generalized tonic-clonic and partial seizures
in adults and children 2 to 16 years 2) Add-on therapy for seizures associated with LGS in children > 2 years |
25-, 100-, and 200-mg tablets; 15- and 25-mg sprinkle capsules | Cognitive problems, behavioral abnormalities, kidney stones, paresthesias, anorexia, wieght loss |
| Oxcarbazepine (Novartis) |
2000 | 1) Add-on monotherapy
for partial seizures in adults 2) Add-on therapy for partial seizures |
150-,300-, and 600-mg tablets; 300 mg/5 ml suspension | CNS-related, hyponatremia |
| Levetiracetam (UCB Pharma) |
1999 | Add-on therapy for partial seizures in adults | 250-, 500-, and 750-mg tablets | Sedation, dizziness |
| Zonisamide (Elan Pharma) |
2000 | Add-on therapy for partial seizures in adults | 100 mg capsules | Kidney stones |
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