Levetiracetam: new preparation. For some patients with refractory partial epilepsy.

According to four placebo-controlled trials, levetiracetam (a piracetam derivative) reduces the frequency of seizures in 20 to 30% of patients with partial epilepsy when added to an existing but inadequate treatment. An indirect comparison suggests that levetiracetam is as effective as other second-line antiepileptics used for combination therapy.