The Epilepsy Prescriber’s Guide to Antiepileptic Drugs

Description

The purpose of the i rst and second edition of The Epilepsy Prescriber’s Guide to Antiepileptic Drugs was to help those involved in the treatment of patients with epilepsy to meet the challenge of having easy access to all relevant aspects of every antiepileptic medication currently available, including the newest ones. The Prescriber’s Guide has been very well received, and the feedback indicates that the stated goal was met at the time. Four years on from the second edition, the authors now recognize the need for a new edition in order to continue to keep up with the original goal. Up- to- date new information has been added accordingly, with no change in the easy- to- use format. One section has been added to the book in order to cover the new drug that has become available in the meantime, brivaracetam, and another (retigabine/ ezigabine) has been deleted because it has been withdrawn from the market. All sections on pharmacokinetic interactions, as well as the table at the end of the book summarizing all known pharmacokinetic interactions between antiepileptic drugs, have been extensively updated, and they represent a most comprehensive and up- to- date source of information on pharmacokinetic interactions involving antiepileptic drugs. Suggested pediatric dosage schedules have been added for several drugs. Additional adverse ef ects, as well as recommended precautions and monitoring, were added where applicable. The issue of bone health, as well as vitamin D monitoring and supplementation, was addressed for selected drugs, and uses in special populations have been updated where relevant. Information on teratogenicity reported in recent publications and pregnancy registries was incorporated in the sections on pregnancy. Finally, for these multiple upgrades, the relevant references were added to the list of suggested reading