Tue Nov 6, 2018
The young man adopted a 3-year-old shelter dog that must be on Keppra daily, as instructed by the Shelter vet. He was not to stop the drug as the dog was previously on Phenobarbitone which became ineffective.
He wanted to know whether he can stop the medication since the adopted dog no longer lives in a stressful shelter with so many dogs barking. Now the dog is housed in his quiet home and he wanted to wean the dog off the anti-convulsant.
The Shelter vet said no way. So he contacted me for a 2nd opinion. See video.
Reference:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3907711/
KEPPRA
Abstract
Status
epilepticus (SE) is a major clinical emergency that is associated with
high mortality and morbidity. SE causes significant neuronal injury and
survivors are at a greater risk of developing acquired epilepsy and
other neurological morbidities, including depression and cognitive
deficits. Benzodiazepines and some anticonvulsant agents are drugs of
choice for initial SE management. Despite their effectiveness, over 40%
of SE cases are refractory to the initial treatment with two or more
medications. Thus, there is an unmet need of developing newer anti-SE
drugs. Levetiracetam (LEV) is a widely prescribed anti-epileptic drug
that has been reported to be used in SE cases, especially in
benzodiazepine-resistant SE or where phenytoin cannot be used due to
allergic side-effects. Levetiracetam’s non-classical anti-epileptic
mechanisms of action, favorable pharmacokinetic profile, general lack of
central depressant effects, and lower incidence of drug interactions
contribute to its use in SE management. This review will focus on LEV’s
unique mechanism of action that makes it a viable candidate for SE
treatment.
Keywords: levetiracetam, calcium homeostasis, status epilepticus, anti-epileptic, mechanisms
Status Epilepticus: Definition, Causes and Consequences
Levetiracetam (Keppra) is a unique anticonvulsant agent that has multiple mechanism of action that differentiates it from conventional anticonvulsant drugs. This makes it an ideal agent to add to the treatments for SE.
Refractory SE is a major medical and neurological emergency associated with high morbidity and mortality. Levetiracetam offers a unique anticonvulsant treatment option to initiate for the treatment of refractory SE. Its low incidence of side-effects and sedative properties make it an ideal agent to consider in treating refractory SE. The availability of an intravenous preparation of LEV also facilitates its use in treating refractory SE. Further studies should confirm that LEV will also be a major first line drug for the treatment of SE, but at present it is not approved for this use. The unique anticonvulsant mechanisms of action of LEV make it an ideal agent to add to conventional anticonvulsant agents and to consider for the treatment of refractory SE and intractable seizure disorders.
