Retention Rate of First Antiepileptic Drug in Poststroke Epilepsy: a Nationwide Study

Stroke causes 14-21% of epilepsy and is the leading cause of epilepsy after middle age.[1] Poststroke epilepsy (PSE) complicates at least 6% of infarctions and 12% of ICH, respectively.[2–4] Specific evidence to guide treatment of PSE is surprisingly scarce. Carbamazepine has been a traditional choice in focal epilepsy, but concerns that elderly patients may be vulnerable to side effects, and that induction of liver enzymes may interfere with secondary stroke prophylaxis, has led to an interest in other AEDs in PSE.[5,6] Two small, open-label RCTs have demonstrated better short-term tolerability of lamotrigine and levetiracetam than slow-release carbamazepine in patients with PSE[7,8].

0