Levetiracetam (Keppra) – Anti-Seizure Medications

00:01 Let’s move on to one of the newer anti-seizure agents, it’s called Keppra.

00:06 Now the trade name is easier to pronounce than the generic name so I'm not even going to try.

00:11 This is an agent that we think works on a presynaptic calcium channel that affects the way vesicles are released into the synaptic cleft.

00:23 Keppra is a mostly unknown mechanism of action.

00:27 It may inhibit the presynaptic calcium channels but we're not entirely sure.

00:32 We know that it also binds to SV2A, which is a synaptic vesicle glycoprotein so it may also inhibit and may also change the way that the vesicle is being released into the synaptic cleft.

00:47 Side effects of this medication includes sleepiness which is quite frequent.

00:51 Rarer cases of psychosis and suicide increased risk can occur with this medication.

00:57 Rare cases of Stevens-Johnsons syndrome have been reported and also rare cases of anaphylaxis can occur with Keppra - all of these things do need to be monitored for.

01:08 Uses include focal epilepsy, partial complex epilepsy, and generalized epilepsy.

01:15 That’s one of the newest agents.

01:17 I hope this information was useful.

01:19 Good luck on your exams.