Abstract

RIVERA-CASTANO, Leopoldo; SENTIES-MADRID, Horacio; BERUMEN-JAIK, Jesús  and  MARTINEZ-JUAREZ, Iris E.. Clinical guideline. Antiepileptic drugs of choice for focal and generalized seizures in adult patients with epilepsy. Rev. mex. neurocienc. [online]. 2019, vol.20, n.2, pp.25-32.  Epub Mar 28, 2022. ISSN 2604-6180.  https://doi.org/10.24875/rmn.m19000055.

The mainstay of treatment in patients with epilepsy is the use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Currently, there are a significant number of AEDs in Mexico. For the pharmacological management of the patient with epilepsy, it is important to know the pharmacokinetics, dosage, mechanism of action, and formulations of the AEDs. 70-80% of patients with either focal or generalized seizures are completely seizure free on AED monotherapy. When, despite the use of AED in monotherapy, seizure freedom is not achieved, a second AED should be used; AEDs with different mechanisms of action are empirically combined for this purpose. If a patient persists in having seizures with the use of an adequate AED, at appropriate doses and with therapeutic adherence, a correct diagnosis of the seizure type and a differential diagnosis should be reconsidered using a new clinical evaluation and auxiliary diagnostic tests.

Keywords : Antiepileptic drug; Monotherapy; Polytherapy; Adult.

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