ADVERSE-EFFECTS OF ESTABLISHED AND NEW ANTIEPILEPTIC DRUGS - AN ATTEMPTED COMPARISON

Seizures are but one aspect of the negative impact epilepsy has on pat ients' lives. Adverse effects of antiepileptic treatment may affect th e patient's quality of life to an even greater extent than the occurre nce of seizures. Adverse effects of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are com mon, and because the differences in efficacy are often marginal, adver se effects may be the most important factor in choosing the best AED f or the patient. The search for more efficient and less toxic agents is constantly ongoing. Current evidence suggests that the new generation of AEDs is as efficient as the established AEDs and exhibits fewer ad verse effects, but the scientific evidence from randomised clinical tr ials comparing established and new AEDs with each other is still pendi ng.