World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

ESTIMATION OF SERUM TOTAL BILIRUBIN LEVEL AND HYPONATREMIC EFFECT ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF LEVETIRACETAM THERAPY IN EPILEPTIC PATIENTS

Lincy Joseph, Mathew George and Lintu Mariam Joshua*

ABSTRACT

Epilepsy is a group of neurological diseases characterized by epileptic seizures. Levetiracetam is increasingly used as adjunctive anticonvulsant therapy. Levetiracetam is second generation anti -epileptic drug. The present review is aimed on the estimation of serum total bilirubin level and hyponatremic effect associated with the use of levetiracetam therapy in epileptic patients. The clinical monitoring of the serum sodium levels is done to identify the development of hyponatremia associated with the use of levetiracetam. Asymptomatic elevation in serum total bilirubin is found in patients taking levetiracetam. Patients treated with levetiracetam should be monitored and checked for hyponatremia when they develop symptoms suggestive of low sodium.The review also helps to understand the importance of monitoring of serum total bilirubin level while taking levetiracetam. Effective clinical management can be handled through awareness of the adverse effect of levetiracetam on serum sodium levels. The review provides clinical information about the incidence of hyponatremia and serum total bilirubin level associated with levetiracetam therapy.

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