Antiepileptics – special aspects in people with intellectual disabilities

The prevalence of epilepsy in patients with intellectual disabilities is markedly increased compared to patients without disability. The etiology of the epilepsy might be important as this might entail a specific therapeutic approach, e. g. administration or avoidance of certain anticonvulsive drugs. Therefore, the etiologic clarification must be the first step of a well-directed treatment. A variety of drugs are available; these are characterized in this article with a focus on the newer drugs labeled since 1990. Data for specific drugs are sparse, but the available data give important information about treatment options in epilepsy patients with intellectual disabilities. Orphan drugs are an option for patients with rare epilepsy syndromes. © 2017, Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH.