Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are frequently prescribed in the elderly due to the high prevalence of AED-treatable neuropsychiatric disorders in this age group. There are several factors associated with AED therapy in the elderly that substantially increase the risk of clinically significant drug interactions. The elderly exhibit altered pharmacodynamics resulting in greater sensitivity to both pharmacological and toxicological drug effects. The use of polypharmacotherapy leaves the elderly patient at an increased risk for adverse events. There are no known drug interactions between anticoagulants/antiplatelets and the following AEDs: gabapentin (GBP), lamotrigine (LTG), levetiracetam (LEV), tiagabine (TGB), or zonisamide (ZNS). A number of AEDs either induce or inhibit drug metabolizing enzymes and, in turn, their metabolism is affected by many co-medications. Several of the newer AEDs do not appear to interact with other medications, while others are affected by enzyme induction of inhibition but do not appear to alter the disposition of co-medications.

This chapter deals with epilepsy in girls and young women, and reviews the common epilepsy syndromes, treatment challenges, and educational and social concerns. Some seizure disorders can be grouped together as an epilepsy syndrome. The epileptic syndromes that present in adolescence are juvenile absence epilepsy, juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME), and generalized tonic-clonic seizures on awakening. Decisions about treating seizures in children and adolescents involve considerations of when to treat, how long to treat, selection of the best medications to use, supplementation with vitamins, and compliance with the treatment plan. Knowledge of possible drug interactions is important, for the physician, the caretakers, and the girl with epilepsy. Some antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), for example phenytoin, alter the concentration of vitamin D in the body. Children and adolescents who have normal cognitive development include those with febrile seizures, childhood absence epilepsy, benign focal epilepsy (rolandic epilepsy) and JME.