Treatment-Refractory Dravet Syndrome: Considerations for Novel Medications

Before 2018, there were no U.S. Food and Drug Administration -approved medications for managing seizures in Dravet syndrome (DS). Common agents used in the antiepileptic drug regimens of patients with DS included clobazam, valproic acid, topiramate, and levetiracetam, among others; however, these agents alone rarely provide adequate seizure control. Management of seizures in DS changed in recent years with the approval of cannabidiol and stiri-pentol in 2018 and fenfluramine in 2020. This continuing educa-tion article summarizes available efficacy and safety data involving cannabidiol, stiripentol, and fenfluramine and provides a practical review of dosing strategies, pharmacokinetics, and monitoring interventions relevant to their use.