Kurupath Radhakrishnan MD DM FAMS FAAN FANA

Senior Consultant Department of Neurosciences Avitis Institute of Medical Sciences Nemmara, Palakkad, Kerala, India

Director, Department of Neurology and Head R Madhavan Nayar Center for Comprehensive Epilepsy Care Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology Trivandrum, Kerala, India

Head of Department of Neurology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education Manipal, Karnataka, India

Professor, Department of Neurology, and Head Amrita Advanced Epilepsy Center Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences Cochin, Kerala, India

After making a fairly convincing diagnosis of epileptic seizures, patients are usually initiated on therapy with drugs to control the seizures. Although these drugs help in achieving seizure control in majority of people with epilepsy (PWE) and are therefore very effective antiseizure drugs, there is little evidence to indicate that these drugs influence the process of epileptogenesis [and are therefore truly not antiepileptic drugs (AEDs)]. However, by frequent and prolonged usage, the term “Antiepileptic Drugs”, which the editors have chosen as the title of the book, has become so firmly engraved that it is very difficult to replace it by the more appropriate term “Antiseizure Drugs”.

Dr Atma Ram Bansal and Dr Arun Garg have designed this book to address the above-described concerns inherent with the treatment of PWE in developing countries. Through 14 chapters, the book covers every aspect of AEDs including history, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, choice with respect to seizure types and epilepsy syndromes, adverse effects, when to initiate AEDs, and when and how to discontinue them. Additionally, special situations such as AED therapy in status epilepticus and in systemic disorders, in women of the child bearing age and during pregnancy and lactation, and in children and elderly are also deliberated. The authors of each chapter have narrated the topics assigned to them in a comprehensive manner. Several tables and figures strengthen and streamline the text.

Although the editors have primarily intended the book for non-neurologists engaged in treating PWE such as primary and secondary care physicians, pediatricians and psychiatrists, postgraduate students in internal medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry and neurology, and neurologists (both junior and senior, who are not hardcore epileptologists) will also immensely benefit by reading this book. Let me congratulate the authors of individual chapters for the contributions, and the editors for elegantly compiling the chapters. I strongly recommend this book to each and every one involved in the treatment of PWE.

Epilepsy is a well-researched topic with numerous books, monographs, and papers. The numerous literature also shows that there is lot of knowledge that we have acquired, however, lacunae still exist. The effort of this book is to package the best of current knowledge and practices into forming an individualized treatment algorithm. It also covers the diagnostic dilemmas, the myths and misconceptions regarding the disease, and the pros and cons of the antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in achieving seizure control. The book has contributions from practical wisdom of epilepsy experts. It is a must-have book for any clinician involved in the treatment of epilepsy.