New antiepileptic drugs for children: felbamate, gabapentin, lamotrigine, and vigabatrin. 1994

O Devinsky, and B Vazquez, and D Luciano
Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, Hospital for Joint Diseases, NY 10003.

After a 15-year hiatus, several new antiepileptic drugs have been approved or are under Food and Drug Administration investigation for use in the United States. This article reviews four of these new drugs--felbamate, gabapentin, lamotrigine, and vigabatrin. Although these drugs have been primarily developed for use in adults with partial seizures, they will also likely be used in children with partial epilepsy. Pediatric experience with several of these drugs has demonstrated safety and efficacy in other seizure types and epilepsy syndromes. These drugs will be an important addition to the therapeutic armamentarium for pediatric epilepsy. Additional studies are needed to fully explore the safety and efficacy of these drugs in a variety of pediatric epilepsies and to compare them to existing antiepileptic drugs.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011409 Propylene Glycols Derivatives of propylene glycol (1,2-propanediol). They are used as humectants and solvents in pharmaceutical preparations. Propanediols,Glycols, Propylene
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D003509 Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids Carboxylic acid derivatives of cyclohexane. Acids, Cyclohexanecarboxylic
D004827 Epilepsy A disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of paroxysmal brain dysfunction due to a sudden, disorderly, and excessive neuronal discharge. Epilepsy classification systems are generally based upon: (1) clinical features of the seizure episodes (e.g., motor seizure), (2) etiology (e.g., post-traumatic), (3) anatomic site of seizure origin (e.g., frontal lobe seizure), (4) tendency to spread to other structures in the brain, and (5) temporal patterns (e.g., nocturnal epilepsy). (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p313) Aura,Awakening Epilepsy,Seizure Disorder,Epilepsy, Cryptogenic,Auras,Cryptogenic Epilepsies,Cryptogenic Epilepsy,Epilepsies,Epilepsies, Cryptogenic,Epilepsy, Awakening,Seizure Disorders
D004828 Epilepsies, Partial Conditions characterized by recurrent paroxysmal neuronal discharges which arise from a focal region of the brain. Partial seizures are divided into simple and complex, depending on whether consciousness is unaltered (simple partial seizure) or disturbed (complex partial seizure). Both types may feature a wide variety of motor, sensory, and autonomic symptoms. Partial seizures may be classified by associated clinical features or anatomic location of the seizure focus. A secondary generalized seizure refers to a partial seizure that spreads to involve the brain diffusely. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp317) Abdominal Epilepsy,Digestive Epilepsy,Epilepsy, Focal,Epilepsy, Simple Partial,Focal Seizure Disorder,Gelastic Epilepsy,Partial Epilepsy,Partial Seizure Disorder,Seizure Disorder, Partial,Simple Partial Seizures,Amygdalo-Hippocampal Epilepsy,Benign Focal Epilepsy, Childhood,Benign Occipital Epilepsy,Benign Occipital Epilepsy, Childhood,Childhood Benign Focal Epilepsy,Childhood Benign Occipital Epilepsy,Epilepsy, Benign Occipital,Epilepsy, Localization-Related,Epilepsy, Partial,Occipital Lobe Epilepsy,Panayiotopoulos Syndrome,Partial Seizures, Simple, Consciousness Preserved,Rhinencephalic Epilepsy,Seizure Disorder, Focal,Subclinical Seizure,Uncinate Seizures,Abdominal Epilepsies,Amygdalo-Hippocampal Epilepsies,Benign Occipital Epilepsies,Digestive Epilepsies,Disorders, Focal Seizure,Disorders, Partial Seizure,Epilepsies, Abdominal,Epilepsies, Amygdalo-Hippocampal,Epilepsies, Benign Occipital,Epilepsies, Digestive,Epilepsies, Focal,Epilepsies, Gelastic,Epilepsies, Localization-Related,Epilepsies, Occipital Lobe,Epilepsies, Rhinencephalic,Epilepsies, Simple Partial,Epilepsy, Abdominal,Focal Epilepsies,Focal Epilepsy,Focal Seizure Disorders,Gelastic Epilepsies,Lobe Epilepsy, Occipital,Localization-Related Epilepsies,Localization-Related Epilepsy,Occipital Epilepsies, Benign,Occipital Epilepsy, Benign,Occipital Lobe Epilepsies,Partial Epilepsies,Partial Epilepsies, Simple,Partial Seizure Disorders,Partial Seizures, Simple,Rhinencephalic Epilepsies,Seizure Disorders, Focal,Seizure Disorders, Partial,Seizure, Subclinical,Seizure, Uncinate,Seizures, Simple Partial,Seizures, Subclinical,Seizures, Uncinate,Simple Partial Epilepsies,Subclinical Seizures,Uncinate Seizure
D005680 gamma-Aminobutyric Acid The most common inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. 4-Aminobutyric Acid,GABA,4-Aminobutanoic Acid,Aminalon,Aminalone,Gammalon,Lithium GABA,gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, Calcium Salt (2:1),gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, Hydrochloride,gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, Monolithium Salt,gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, Monosodium Salt,gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, Zinc Salt (2:1),4 Aminobutanoic Acid,4 Aminobutyric Acid,Acid, Hydrochloride gamma-Aminobutyric,GABA, Lithium,Hydrochloride gamma-Aminobutyric Acid,gamma Aminobutyric Acid,gamma Aminobutyric Acid, Hydrochloride,gamma Aminobutyric Acid, Monolithium Salt,gamma Aminobutyric Acid, Monosodium Salt
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000077206 Gabapentin A cyclohexane-gamma-aminobutyric acid derivative that is used for the treatment of PARTIAL SEIZURES; NEURALGIA; and RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME. 1-(Aminomethyl)cyclohexaneacetic Acid,Apo-Gabapentin,Convalis,Gabapentin Hexal,Gabapentin Stada,Gabapentin-Ratiopharm,Neurontin,Novo-Gabapentin,PMS-Gabapentin,Apo Gabapentin,ApoGabapentin,Gabapentin Ratiopharm,Novo Gabapentin,NovoGabapentin
D000077213 Lamotrigine A phenyltriazine compound, sodium and calcium channel blocker that is used for the treatment of SEIZURES and BIPOLAR DISORDER. 3,5-Diamino-6-(2,3-dichlorophenyl)-1,2,4-triazine,3,5-Diamino-6-(2,3-dichlorophenyl)-as-triazine,BW-430C,Crisomet,Labileno,Lamictal,Lamiktal,BW 430C,BW430C
D000078328 Felbamate A PEGylated phenylcarbamate derivative that acts as an antagonist of NMDA RECEPTORS. It is used as an anticonvulsant, primarily for the treatment of SEIZURES in severe refractory EPILEPSY. (3-Carbamoyloxy-2-phenyl-propyl) carbamate,2-Phenyl-1,3-propanediol dicarbamate,ADD-03055,Felbamyl,Felbatol,Taloxa,W-554,2 Phenyl 1,3 propanediol dicarbamate,ADD 03055,ADD03055,W 554,W554

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