Levetiracetam is marketed under the trade nameKeppra.
Levetiracetam has been approved in the European Union as a monotherapy treatment for epilepsy in the case of partial seizures, or as an adjunctive therapy forpartial, myoclonic and tonic-clonic seizures.
Levetiracetam has potential benefits for other psychiatric and neurologic conditions such as Tourette syndrome, autism, bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder,[3] as well as Alzheimer's disease.
Along with other anticonvulsants like gabapentin, it is also sometimes used to treat neuropathic pain.
Adverse effects
may cause drowsiness, weakness, unsteady gait, fatigue, coordination problems, headache, pain, forgetfulness,anxiety, irritability or agitation, dizziness, mood changes, nervousness, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, throat pain, constipation, and changes in skin pigmentation.
Serious side effects may include depression, hallucinations, suicidal thoughts, seizures that are worse or different, fever, sore throat, signs of infection, double vision, itching, rash, swelling of the face.
Mechanism of action
drug binds to a synaptic vesicle glycoprotein, SV2A,[26] and inhibits presynaptic calcium channels.[27] This is believed to impede impulse conduction across synapses.
