The use of newer antiepileptic drugs in patients with renal failure.

Seizures and chronic kidney disease are both common and often coexist. Treating seizures in patients with renal failure, including those on dialysis, is a challenge that is frequently encountered, especially in the inpatient setting. For the newer antiepileptic drugs, there are limited data available, so an understanding of how each drug is affected by kidney disease and dialysis is critical in order to make rational choices qualitatively (which drug) and quantitatively (dosing). Generally, newer (second-generation) antiepileptic drugs are associated with fewer systemic side effects and drug-drug interactions, so they tend to be preferred in this population. The landscape of antiepileptic drugs is constantly evolving, with new compounds being released on a regular basis. Thus, several new agents have become available since the last review of this topic (in 2006) and these are the ones discussed here. Most require dosage adjustment according to the degree of renal failure, and most require extra doses after dialysis.