New antiepileptic drugs and non-pharmacological treatments

Many new drugs and therapies can now be offered to patients with epilepsy. The problem is that we do not know just how much better these new and more expensive therapies are compared with the old ones, nor do we know the full range of side-effects. This review focuses on the major clinical studies that have been published in the past year with emphasis on information as to tolerability and efficacy, especially when there is some information comparing different drugs or therapies. The topics include vigabatrin, lamotrigine, gabapentin, felbamate, topiramate, tiagabine, oxcarbazepine, levetiracetam, vagus nerve stimulation and the ketogenic diet. It is encouraging that some of the newly published double-blinded placebo-controlled studies now include children and the elderly, patient groups that have previously been neglected.