Newer AED's Lower Cholesterol Levels

A team at the University of Pennsylvania, sponsored by the Epilepsy Foundation, examined cholesterol changes in 34 people with epilepsyupon switching from either phenytoin (Dilantin) or carbamazepine(Tegretol) to either lamotrigine (Lamictal) or levetiracetam (Keppra). After 6 weeks, total cholesterol was decreased by 25 mg/dL, low-density(“bad”) cholesterol by 20 mg/dL, and triglycerides by 47 mg/dL. Theresulting reduction in heart attack or stroke risk from these changeswas estimated to be 36%. This provides yet another reason to considerswitching from the older AEDs.