Antiepileptics for Post-Traumatic Seizure Prophylaxis after Traumatic Brain Injury

Title:Antiepileptics for Post-Traumatic Seizure Prophylaxis after Traumatic Brain Injury

Volume: 23 Issue: 42

Author(s): Alexander G. Chartrain, Kurt Yaeger, Rui Feng, Marios S. Themistocleous, Neha S. Dangayach, Konstantinos Margetis and Zachary L. Hickman*

Affiliation:

• Department of Neurosurgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY,United States

Keywords: Antiepileptic drugs, post-traumatic seizure, prophylaxis, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE), antiepileptic drug (AED).

Abstract: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an important public health concern plagued by high rates of mortality and significant long-term disability in many survivors. Post-traumatic seizures (PTS) are not uncommon following TBI, both in the early (within 7 days post-injury) and late (after 7 days post-injury) period. Due to the potential of PTS to exacerbate secondary injury following TBI and the possibility of developing post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE), the medical community has explored preventative treatment strategies. Prophylactic antiepileptic drug (AED) administration has been proposed as a measure to reduce the incidence of PTS and the ultimate development of PTE in TBI patients. In this topical review, we discuss the pathophysiologic mechanisms of early and late PTS and the development of PTE following TBI, the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of AEDs commonly used to prevent post-traumatic seizures, and summarize the available clinical evidence for employing AEDs for seizure prophylaxis after TBI.

Cite this article as:

Chartrain G. Alexander, Yaeger Kurt , Feng Rui, Themistocleous S. Marios, Dangayach S. Neha , Margetis Konstantinos and Hickman L. Zachary*, Antiepileptics for Post-Traumatic Seizure Prophylaxis after Traumatic Brain Injury, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2017; 23 (42) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612823666171031100139