HWN Suggests

Old doc, new drugs: Levetiracetam

Most adults are started on 500 mg twice a day (bd), orally and titrated up to effect. Kids initially get 10 mg/kg bd. There does not seem to be much benefit in increasing past 3000 mg per day. The initial IV dose to control seizures is about 20 mg/kg, although 40 mg/kg is used in some centres. We can push a standard dose over about 5–10 minutes without the concern about arrhythmias that comes with phenytoin.

It is hard to see why we would continue to use phenytoin if you work in a place in which levetiracetam is available. It seems simpler, more effective and safer than our old standards.

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 Keppra - A step toward relief from epilepsy

Fortunately, there are a number of medications out there to treat epilepsy. The anticonvulsant, Keppra, is one of them. Doctors prescribe it for various types of seizures and it can be used for children as young as four. It’s only taken either once or twice a day (much more convenient for long-term than some medications we can think of) and comes in several forms. There’s an extended release pill or, if you’re like us and really don’t like swallowing pills, there’s a dissolvable tablet and a liquid form. It’s also safe to continue taking during pregnancy. But, of course, like all everything in life, there are downsides. Keppra can effect your mood and your kidneys, making it a risky…

Articles of Interest

A new antiepileptic drug

The recommended dosing regimen for levetiracetam as add on therapy is twice daily doses of 500 mg to 1500 mg, for a total daily dosage of between 1000 mg and 3000 mg. Higher doses have been studied, but with little evidence of added effectiveness.

Best Seizure Medication With the Least Side Effects

This is one of the most commonly prescribed anti-seizure drugs because it is effective against many seizure types and has a relatively low risk of causing cognitive (thinking) side effects. Common side effects of levetiracetam include fatigue, dizziness, insomnia, and mood changes.

Compare Keppra vs. Topamax

Keppra (levetiracetam) is effective for preventing seizures in people with epilepsy and has fewer drug interactions than its alternatives.

Levetiracetam (Keppra): A Medication for Both Humans and Pets!

Overall the medication interacts with our respective bodies in the same way and most of the rules are the same.

Nora’s Epilepsy Story

For 6 months, Nora took Keppra twice per day and she was seizure-free. She had some side effects, such as aggression and hair loss, but we started to feel confident that the Keppra was preventing seizures.

Resources

DailyMed

6 Months to < 4 Years: Initiate treatment with a daily dose of 20 mg/kg in 2 divided doses (10 mg/kg twice daily). Increase the daily dose in 2 weeks by an increment of 20 mg/kg to the recommended daily dose of 50 mg/kg (25 mg/kg twice daily). If a patient cannot tolerate a daily dose of 50 mg/kg, the daily dose may be reduced. In the clinical trial, the mean daily dose was 47 mg/kg in this age group.

Levetiracetam

Accidentally discovered to have anticonvulsant activity in animal models. Seizures (primary generalised tonic-clonic, myoclonic or partial seizures as an adjunct).

StatPearls

Levetiracetam is a novel antiepileptic drug used to treat partial, myoclonic, and tonic-clonic seizures. In 2000, the FDA approved the use of the oral formulation as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of focal seizures, myoclonic seizures, and primary generalized seizures.