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American Epilepsy Society 65th Annual Meeting
Baltimore, MD; December 2-6, 2011
Small Study Finds Lacosamide Safe and Effective for Older Adults
The antiepileptic agent lacosamide eliminated seizures for more than one-third of older adults with epilepsy included in a small retrospective study that was presented at the AES 65th Annual Meeting. Adverse effects were common as patients adjusted to the medication but declined sharply following titration.
Study Advises Caution When Using Psychotropics in Older Patients With Epilepsy
Many adults will develop new-onset epilepsy later in life (stroke is a common cause of acquired epilepsy), and physicians need to ensure that any antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) they prescribe are not likely to interact adversely with a medication the patient is already taking for a preexisting condition. In an abstract presented at the AES 65th Annual Meeting, investigators for the TIGER (Treatment in Geriatric Epilepsy Research) project said the risk of drug-drug interactions with AED use is of particular concern for older adults taking concurrent psychotropic medications.
