Toggle menu
Toggle preferences menu
Toggle personal menu
Not logged in
Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits.

Levetiracetam: Difference between revisions

From Pharmacopedia
[unchecked revision][checked revision]
Dedupe migration per interface-claude 2026-05-20: Anticonvulsants / Antiepileptics merged into canonical Anticonvulsants. Member retagged.
parser-claude: Levetiracetam MedTemplate refill, Top 300 stub upgrade
 
(One intermediate revision by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{MedTemplate
{{MedTemplate
| generic           = Levetiracetam
| generic           = Levetiracetam
| brand             = Keppra
| brand             = Keppra (IR), Keppra XR, Spritam (3D-printed orally disintegrating), Roweepra
| structure         =  
| structure         =
| classes           = Anticonvulsant
| classes           = [[:Category:Anticonvulsants|Anticonvulsant]], [[:Category:SV2A ligands|Synaptic vesicle protein 2A (SV2A) ligand]]
| mechanism          = SV2A ligand
| uses             = <vote slug="partial-seizures-monotherapy-use">Partial-onset seizures (FDA, monotherapy and adjunct)</vote>, <vote slug="juvenile-myoclonic-epilepsy-use">Myoclonic seizures of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (FDA, adjunct)</vote>, <vote slug="generalized-tonic-clonic-use">Primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures of idiopathic generalized epilepsy (FDA, adjunct)</vote>, <vote slug="status-epilepticus-second-line-use">Status epilepticus (off-label, second-line after benzodiazepine)</vote>
| uses               =  
| starting_dose     = Adult: 500 mg PO BID, titrate by 1000 mg/day every 2 weeks. Pediatric: 10-20 mg/kg/day divided BID, weight-titrated
| starting_dose     =  
| preparations     = IR tablets 250, 500, 750, 1000 mg; XR tablets 500, 750 mg; oral solution 100 mg/mL; injection 100 mg/mL; Spritam ODT 250, 500, 750, 1000 mg
| preparations       =  
| fda_max           = 3000 mg/day
| fda_max          =  
| pill_id           =
| routes             =  
| routes           = Oral, intravenous
| onset             =  
| onset             = Anticonvulsant effect within days at therapeutic plasma level; rapid titration possible
| duration           =  
| duration         = BID dosing (IR); once-daily (XR)
| halflife           =
| halflife          = 6-8 hours<ref name="keppra-label">FDA Prescribing Information, Keppra (levetiracetam), UCB, current revision. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/021035s101lbl.pdf</ref>
| bioavailability    =
| bioavailability  = ~100% (oral)<ref name="keppra-label" />
| pregnancy         =  
| pregnancy        = '''Considered one of the safest anticonvulsants in pregnancy''', with reassuring monotherapy registry data comparable to lamotrigine and in sharp contrast to valproate, topiramate, and carbamazepine<ref name="keppra-label" />
| legal              =  
| legal             = [[USLegal:Prescription only|Rx-only]] in US. Not a controlled substance<ref name="keppra-label" />
| intro              =  
| mechanism         = <vote slug="levetiracetam-mech-claim">Binds the synaptic vesicle protein 2A (SV2A), modulating presynaptic neurotransmitter release through a mechanism distinct from sodium channel, calcium channel, GABA, and glutamate receptor mechanisms of older anticonvulsants. The result is reduced neuronal hyperexcitability with minimal sedation or cognitive impact compared to most other anticonvulsants.</vote> The marquee adverse-effect concern is '''behavioral and psychiatric''': irritability, depression, agitation, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, with the AED-class FDA suicidality warning particularly associated with this agent. Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) supplementation may mitigate these in some patients. Renally eliminated; dose adjustment by creatinine clearance is required<ref name="keppra-label" />.
| pharmacokinetics  =  
| pharmacodynamics  =  
| indications        =  
| dosing             =  
| effects            =  
| interactions      = <pharmaInteractions/>
| pregnancy_details  =
| monitoring         =  
| counseling        =  
| anecdotes          =
| seealso            =
| references        =  
}}
}}
== References ==
<references />


[[Category:Anticonvulsants]]
[[Category:Anticonvulsants]]
[[Category:SV2A ligands]]
[[Category:SV2A ligands]]