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Citation |
Faulkner MA, Tolman JA. Clinical Medicine Insights: Therapeutics 2010; 2: 849-856. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 2010) |
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DOI |
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PMID |
unavailable |
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Abstract |
Vigabatrin (Sabril®) has recently been granted approval in the Unites States for the adjunctive treatment of complex-partial seizures in adults. The drug was first evaluated as a potential therapy for this population decades ago, and it has been available in other parts of the world for some time. Well controlled studies demonstrate that at doses up to 3 g/day, the drug is efficacious as add-on therapy for treatment resistant seizures. However, vigabatrin has been associated with significant side-effects limiting its use, and relegating it to a late therapeutic alternative. Specifically, vigabatrin has been implicated in the development of irreversible peripheral vision loss in a significant number of patients. For this reason, the approval of the drug in the United States was contingent upon the introduction of a rigorous monitoring protocol that must accompany its use. Additionally, the drug has been associated with a relatively high incidence of psychiatric disturbances, although there is disagreement about a direct correlation of these symptoms to the drug. Still, the drug remains a viable alternative for patients who have failed therapy with traditional anti-seizure medications. © the author(s), publisher and licensee Libertas Academica Ltd. Language: en |
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Keywords |
human; incidence; suicidal ideation; depression; schizophrenia; psychosis; suicide attempt; visual impairment; review; fatigue; mental disease; anticonvulsive agent; paranoia; drowsiness; delusion; edema; placebo; seizure; drug efficacy; drug tolerability; weight gain; drug withdrawal; irritability; side effect; vigabatrin; dose response; Vigabatrin; drug approval; drug monitoring; complex partial seizure; dizziness; drug dose reduction; grandiose delusion; drug induced headache; drug dose titration; GABA; REMS; Complex-partial seizures; visual field defect; Visual field defects |