New guidelines for antiepileptic drugs

The International League Against Epilepsy has set new treatment guidelines for antiepileptic drugs, as published in the journal Epilepsia.

The guidelines call for more thorough and specific studies before a treatment is decided upon for a patient with newly diagnosed or untreated epilepsy.

The guidelines evaluated existing data in adults, children, and the elderly with the purpose of assessing which antiepileptic medications have the best evidence for long-term efficacy or effectiveness as an initial and single therapy. "There is an alarming lack of clinical relevant studies for patients with new onset epilepsy that can aid in the selection of the most effective drug for the individual patient," says Dr. Elinor Ben-Menachem, lead researcher.

Past studies also offered little help in treating unusual forms of epilepsy. The ultimate goal of epilepsy treatment is ensuring the best quality of life, with no seizures and the fewest adverse effects from treatment. While this goal is achievable in the majority of people with epilepsy, physicians would benefit from better scientific evidence when choosing between the many drugs that are now available. These new guidelines will contribute to this knowledge by establishing rigorous criteria for the design of better studies in the future.