Anti-seizures therapeutics in patients with epilepsy: an approach to levetiracetam – review

Rusinowska Barbara. Anti-seizures therapeutics in patients with epilepsy: an approach to levetiracetam – review. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. 2022;12(8):580-590. eISSN 2391-8306. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2022.12.08.061 https://apcz.umk.pl/JEHS/article/view/JEHS.2022.12.08.061 https://zenodo.org/record/7010750 The journal has had 40 points in Ministry of Education and Science of Poland parametric evaluation. Annex to the announcement of the Minister of Education and Science of December 21, 2021. No. 32343. Has a Journal's Unique Identifier: 201159. Scientific disciplines assigned: Physical Culture Sciences (Field of Medical sciences and health sciences); Health Sciences (Field of Medical Sciences and Health Sciences). Punkty Ministerialne z 2019 - aktualny rok 40 punktów. Załącznik do komunikatu Ministra Edukacji i Nauki z dnia 21 grudnia 2021 r. Lp. 32343. Posiada Unikatowy Identyfikator Czasopisma: 201159. Przypisane dyscypliny naukowe: Nauki o kulturze fizycznej (Dziedzina nauk medycznych i nauk o zdrowiu); Nauki o zdrowiu (Dziedzina nauk medycznych i nauk o zdrowiu). © The Authors 2022; This article is published with open access at Licensee Open Journal Systems of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author (s) and source are credited. This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non commercial license Share alike. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) which permits unrestricted, non commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited. The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper. Received: 05.08.2022. Revised: 07.08.2022. Accepted: 19.08.2022. Anti-seizures therapeutics in patients with epilepsy: an approach to levetiracetam – review Barbara Rusinowska Student Research Group at the Chair and Department of Epidemiology and Clinical Research Methodology; Medical University of Lublin Contact: rusinowskabarbara4@gmail.com; +48 794303542 Orcid: 0000-0002-8207-1042 Abstract Epilepsy is a chronic condition that consists of a transient disorder of brain function manifested by recurrent and unprovoked seizures affecting approximately 50 million people worldwide. Antiepileptic treatment is aimed at possible improvement the quality of life by reducing epilepsy seizures with the lowest possible side effects. One of the newest broad spectrum antiepileptic drug (AED) for the treatment of wide range of epilepsies – focal, partial, myoclonic, tonic-clonic and primary generalized seizures that can be used in both children and adults is levetiracetam. Levetiracetam is believed to bind to SV2A (synaptic vesicle protein 2A) in the brain, prevent the release of calcium stores from neurons and inhibit GABA and glycine activity. Due to the unique mechanism of action, high bioavailability (in both oral and intravenous administration), rapid absorption, metabolism based on the hydrolysis of acetamide groups in the blood (independent of the liver) and the lack of activity of the resulting metabolites, the drug is considered to be safe and effective in reducing and stopping seizures. In this review, we present the latest reports on the effectiveness of levetiracetam and its potential in the treatment of epilepsy in children and adults. Key words: epilepsy; levetiracetam; seizures; therapeutics; treatment; drug resistanc