A Bird's-Eye View of Antiepileptic Drugs for the Pharmacy Technician

Epilepsy is a life-threatening condition characterized by recurrent seizures. The knowledge of how to recognize when someone is having a seizure and how to best assist that person could save the life of a patient. Furthermore, the medications used to prevent seizures from occurring in the first place typically have narrow therapeutic ranges meaning that minor medication errors can put a patient at risk of having a seizure. This is complicated by the fact that these medications are often associated with significant side effects and toxicities. After this presentation, learners will be able to spot someone who is having a seizure and know which drugs can be used to stop an active seizure. Learners will also become more familiar with drugs that prevent seizures, as well as which of them are the most dangerous, and the most important side effects of these medications.