Antiepileptic medications for the treatment of epilepsy.

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological conditions encountered worldwide. The development of newer antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) has expanded over recent years, and the use of such drugs for indications other than epilepsy has also broadened. These factors insure that the majority of health care providers will be using an increasing number of AEDs in the care of their patients. Contained herein is a review of the mechanism of action of AEDs, individual drugs and their potential drug interactions, and general principles to guide the clinician in selection, implementation, and long-term monitoring of AEDs.