Treating Epilepsy Patients with Investigational Anti-COVID-19 Drugs: Recommendations by the Israeli Chapter of the ILAE.

Treating Epilepsy Patients with Investigational Anti-COVID-19 Drugs: Recommendations by the Israeli Chapter of the ILAE. Isr Med Assoc J. 2020 Nov;11(22):665-672 Authors: Ekstein D, Noyman I, Fahoum F, Herskovitz M, Linder I, Ben Zeev B, Eyal S Abstract BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) and its management in patients with epilepsy can be complex. Prescribers should consider potential effects of investigational anti-COVID-19 drugs on seizures, immunomodulation by anti-seizure medications (ASMs), changes in ASM pharmacokinetics, and the potential for drug-drug interactions (DDIs). The goal of the Board of the Israeli League Against Epilepsy (the Israeli Chapter of the International League Against Epilepsy, ILAE) was to summarize the main principles of the pharmacological treatment of COVID-19 in patients with epilepsy. This guide was based on current literature, drug labels, and drug interaction resources. We summarized the available data related to the potential implications of anti-COVID-19 co-medication in patients treated with ASMs. Our recommendations refer to drug selection, dosing, and patient monitoring. Given the limited availability of data, some recommendations are based on general pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic principles and might apply to additional future drug combinations as novel treatments emerge. They do not replace evidence-based guidelines, should those become available. Awareness to drug char...
Source: The Israel Medical Association Journal - Category: General Medicine Tags: Isr Med Assoc J Source Type: research