Understanding Antiepileptic Drugs

Understanding Antiepileptic Drugs enhances patient knowledge and to acts as a facilitator to fill a significant gap in patient-physician communication in the field of epilepsy. There are several studies which show evidence that compliance in taking medication is absolutely crucial for successful medical treatment. A precondition for compliance, in addition to a trusting patient-physician relationship, is the ability to understand the medication under discussion and to be competent to be able to ask the right questions of your doctor. The ultimate goal should be to make the patient the expert of their condition. Patients often feel overwhelmed by the usual product monograph and they can become lost in complex information they do not understand or know how to prioritize. "There is an enormous need to provide essential information regarding medications available to people with epilepsy and to their caregivers. This book is an excellent tool attempting to address a gap in our ability to communicate with people with epilepsy by providing information that will help them understand how the medications work, the dosing, as well as the side effects. Understanding Antiepileptic Drugs is written in an easy to read manner, and provides extremely valuable information that will benefit all people with epilepsy." --Solomin L. Moshe, MD, Charles Frost Chair in Neurosurgeryand Neurology, Professor of Neurology, Neuroscience & Pediatrics, Director Pediatric Neurology, Director Clinical Neurophysiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Past President ILAE (2009-2013), New York, NYForeword 1st English Edition ; Foreword 5th German Edition ; Preface ; Introduction ; Patient Recommendations ; Generic Drugs ; Slow Release Drugs ; Orphan Drugs ; 1. Carbamazepine ; 2. Clobazam ; 3. Eslicarbazepine acetate ; 4. Ethosuximide ; 5. Felbamate ; 6. Gabapentine ; 7. Lacosamide ; 8. Lamotrigine ; 9. Levetiracetam ; 10. Oxcarbazepine ; 11. Perampanel ; 12. Phenobarbital / Primidone ; 13. Phenytoin ; 14. Pregabalin ; 15.Retigabine ; 16.Rufinamide ; 17. Stiripentol ; 18. Tiagabine ; 19. Topiramate ; 20. Valproic Acid ; 21. Vigabatrin ; 22. Zonisamide