ABSTRACT
This chapter evaluates the use of zonisamide in epileptic patients with a variety of refractory seizures. It determines serum zonisamide levels, and describes the correlation between serum zonisamide levels and clinical response. Serum zonisamide levels were determined by a high-performance liquid chromatographic technique. Serum levels of other antiepileptic drugs were measured by the usual laboratory routine procedures, and the results were recorded. In epileptic children, secondary generalized epilepsy and partial epilepsy are among the most difficult to control with currently available antiepileptic drugs. Wagner et al. also observed nonlinear pharmacokinetics of this drug in adult epileptic patients after zonisamide co-medication. These aspects of both clinical response and pharmacokinetics of zonisamide resemble those of phenytoin. In conclusion, zonisamide has a broad antiepileptic spectrum. Therapeutic drug monitoring of zonisamide as well as other antiepileptic drugs seems necessary to assess clinical response and to adjust dosage.
