NEWER ANTIEPILEPTIC DRUGS AND BONE METABOLISM – A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Epilepsy, one of the most common neurological diseases, has been associated with increased bone fracture risk due to injuries and falls, which are caused by seizures. Antiepileptic treatment has also been reported to have a negative effect on bone metabolism, resulting in reduced bone density and increased bone fracture risk. Conventional antiepileptic drugs increase bone loss through several pathophysiological mechanisms, such as increased catabolism of vitamin D and direct negative effects on bone. For newer antiepileptics, however, the number of studies is limited, due to the fact that many of these drugs have been recently approved for monotherapy. In this review we highlight the most recent evidence from in vivo and in vitro studies of the effect of newer antiepileptics drugs on bone.