Cardiovascular risk factors in epilepsy patients taking levetiracetam, carbamazepine or lamotrigine

摘要

Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological disorders with a prevalence of approximately 0.7% in developed countries (1, 2). Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are the cornerstone in epilepsy treatment. Currently, there are approximately 20 AEDs available, all of which have different effect and tolerability profiles. While the seizures associated with epilepsy have a paroxysmal appearance, many of the metabolic side effects of the AEDs tend to be prolonged. For many patients the latter may be of major concern as the development of long-term adverse effects may be insidious. For this reason, metabolic changes associated with chronic AED use might previously have been underestimated (3).