Health Library Levetiracetam for EpilepsyFrom Healthwise

Levetiracetam is taken several times daily and comes in tablet form.

It is not known exactly how levetiracetam prevents seizures.

Levetiracetam (Keppra) may be used to help control partial seizures in adults. It is usually used with, not instead of, other antiepileptic medicines (add-on, or adjunctive, therapy).

Levetiracetam may also be used alone or in combination with other epilepsy drugs to treat seizures that affect the entire brain (generalized) in adults. Or it may be used alone or in combination with other epilepsy medicines in children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or absence seizures.¹

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved levetiracetam to treat partial seizures in children age 4 and older.

When added to treatment with another antiepileptic medicine, levetiracetam is sometimes effective in reducing partial seizures in people who have had trouble controlling their seizures with other medicines.²

Levetiracetam usually causes only mild side effects. The most common ones are:

• Sleepiness.
• Dizziness and unsteadiness.
• Weakness.
• Mild agitation, anxiety, or depression.

Unlike many of the antiepileptic medicines, levetiracetam is not likely to cause an adverse reaction when used at the same time as other medicines.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning on antiepileptic medicines and the risk of suicide and suicidal thoughts. The FDA does not recommend that people stop using these medicines. Instead, people who take antiepileptic medicine should be watched closely for warning signs of suicide. People who take antiepileptic medicine and who are worried about this side effect should talk to a doctor.

See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)

• Side effects. Levetiracetam has few side effects and is tolerated well by most people.
• Cost. Levetiracetam is expensive.
• Risk of birth defects. All medicines for epilepsy have some risk of birth defects. But the risk of birth defects needs to be carefully compared to other risks to the baby if the mother stops taking her epilepsy medicine. If you are thinking about becoming pregnant, it is important to plan ahead and talk with your doctor about the benefits and risks of taking epilepsy medicine during your pregnancy. It you are already pregnant, it is not too late. The best thing to do is talk to your doctor about your pregnancy before you make any changes to the medicines you are taking.
• Other concerns. Levetiracetam may be a good choice if you are taking medicines for other conditions, because it does not interact with other medicines. It is also a good choice if you take birth control pills, because it will not make the pills any less effective.

For some people, levetiracetam may produce side effects or carry risks that are not yet fully known. Report any unexpected side effects or problems to your doctor.

It may take time and careful, controlled adjustments by you and your doctor to find the combination, schedule, and dosing of medicine to best manage your epilepsy. The goal is to prevent seizures while causing as few unwanted side effects as possible. After you and your doctor figure out the most effective medicine program for you, it is important that you follow your program exactly as prescribed.

Complete the new medication information form (PDF)(What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.

Citations

1. Drugs for epilepsy (2005). Treatment Guidelines From the Medical Letter, 3(39): 75–82.

2. French JA, et al. (2004). Efficacy and tolerability of the new antiepileptic drugs II: Treatment of refractory epilepsy. Report of the Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee and Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy Society. Neurology, 62(8): 1261–1273.

Author:	Monica Rhodes	Last Updated: October 29, 2007
Medical Review:	Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics Theresa O'Young, PharmD - Clinical Pharmacist Steven C. Schachter, MD - Neurology
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