Pharmacology of Antiepileptic Drugs

Clonazapam
• -Benzodiazepine used for absence seizures
(and sometimes myoclonic): “fourth-line AED”
• -Most specific AED among benzodiazepines,
appearing to be selective for GABAA activation
in the reticular formation leading to inactivation
of T-type Ca2+ channels, hence its useful for
absence seizures
• -Sedating; May lose effectiveness due to
development of tolerance (≤6 months)