Question

which antiepileptic drug treats most types of epilepsy?

Answer 1

Ans) Antiepileptic Drugs:

- Subcategory of anti-convulsion drugs, subcategory of CNS depressants.
- Class of drugs: anti-convulsants
Effects:

• Suppress discharge of neurons within a seizure focus
• Suppress propagation of seizure activity from the focus to other areas of the brain
• Affect ion flow

Mechanisms of action

• Suppression of sodium influx
• Suppression of calcium influx
• Antagonism of glutamate receptors (excitatory neurotransmitters)
• Potentiation of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) (inhibitory neurotransmitters)

Goal of treatment:

• Reduce seizures to a level that allows the patient to live as normal a life as possible
• Balance the desire for complete seizure control with acceptable side effects.

Anti-epileptic drugs

Anti-convulsants, which belong to a larger category of drugs called CNS depressants (which want to physiologically reduce the excitation in the brain)

- Glutamate: excitation, and GABA: inhibition (major neurotransmitters in brain)
-work by affecting ion channels, blocking glutamate, or enhancing GABA, or a mixture
-all CNS depressants can cause respiratory depression, decreased heart rate, and loss of consciousness

CNS depressants: anticonvulsants, alcohol, opiods, barbituates, benzodiazapines

1) Barbituates:CNS depressant

Application: anti-anxiety, hypnotic properties, and anti-convulsant properties
Act by enhancing GABA

2) Benzodiazapines:

CNS depressants, but not an anti-convulsant drug
Application: anti-anxiety, hypnotic properties, and anti-convulsant properties, and muscle relaxants
Act by enhancing GABA

3) Anti-convulsants: CNS depressants

-block sodium, block calcium, enhance GABA, block glutamate

4) Alcohol: CNS depressants

-enhances GABA activity in the brain

5) Opioid:

Application: analgesic drugs as pain killer, cough suppressant
Produce effect by agonizing opioid receptors, which reduce activity through CNS depressant function