EXPERIENCE-BASED TEACHING OF THERAPEUTICS AND CLINICAL-PHARMACOLOGY OF ANTIEPILEPTIC DRUGS, SUDDEN UNEXPLAINED DEATH IN EPILEPSY - DO ANTIEPILEPTIC DRUGS HAVE A ROLE

The contents of this paper have been written to be used in a teaching program specifically designed for medical postgraduate education of re sident physicians and fellows in training interested in the clinical p harmacology of antiepileptic drugs and their role in the treatment of epilepsy and/or in the prevention of sudden unexpected death associate d with this disease. With some modifications, such as a specific lectu re to provide an overview of the numerous concepts presented in the te xt, the article could be used when teaching fourth-year medical studen ts. The format of the paper is a combination of didactic review and ei ght case reports in a self-learning format. A quiz for self-assessment is included at the end of the article (see Appendix). This material w as covered in part in the 1992 Board Review Course for Clinical Pharma cology sponsored by the American College of Clinical Pharmacology. The format or setting of instruction for this material could include smal l learning groups composed of 10 to 15 students. When used in combinat ion with other topics prepared in similar formats, this could become a take home course for those preparing to take the Boards in Clinical P harmacology. Each instructor could select specific publications from t he reference list for assigned readings depending upon the material em phasized by the instructor. The questions included at the end of the t ext could be used as either a closed or an open book quiz to assess st udent learning.