Drug treatment of epilepsy

Abstract

Some epileptic patients are well controlled on a single drug at a daily dose that does not necessarily ensure blood levels within the optimal therapeutic range. Treatment must therefore be based on clinical judgment, and the results of blood drug level measurements incorporated with other clinical and laboratory data. Some of the more important anticonvulsant drugs are briefly considered. In general, the plasma half-life of the individual drugs governs the frequency with which doses are taken during the day, doses usually being spaced no more than one half life apart. If blood concentrations of a drug are to be measured, it should be after a steady state has been reached; with a fixed dose, steady state blood levels are generally achieved after a period of five to seven half lives.