Gulcebi Medine I, Gavas Seyhmus, Sisodiya Sanjay M
Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK.
Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Chalfont St Peter, UK.
Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2025 Aug;91(8):2205-2221. doi: 10.1002/bcp.70108. Epub 2025 May 27.
Climate change-the global crisis with pervasive health impacts-has adverse consequences for people with epilepsy (PWE) who have low quality of life due to poor seizure control, socioeconomic disadvantages and comorbidities. This review focuses on the potential effects of climate change on the pharmacological characteristics of antiseizure medications (ASMs), antipsychotics and antidepressants. We note that findings particularly obtained from physicochemical stability studies have been demonstrated experimentally for some specific environmental conditions whereas studies for clinical outcome effects are very limited. Carbamazepine, valproate, phenytoin or lorazepam appear to be ASMs at risk of being affected by high temperature and/or humidity. Even the stability of blood samples needs to be considered during transportation to therapeutic drug monitoring units, particularly for the PWE living in low-income countries that are facing the most challenges of climate change effects attributed to low infrastructure and healthcare system capacity. We need more urgent research investigating drug responses of PWE regarding especially the effects of adverse weather events such as heatwaves on physicochemical stability or pharmacokinetics of drugs in a complex interaction with the vulnerabilities of individuals, accompanying neuropsychiatric disorders and geographical challenges. Then we will be able to develop pharmacological treatment strategies to improve the quality of life of PWE during adverse weather events.
气候变化——这一具有广泛健康影响的全球危机——对癫痫患者(PWE)产生了不利影响,这些患者由于癫痫发作控制不佳、社会经济劣势和合并症而生活质量低下。本综述重点关注气候变化对抗癫痫药物(ASM)、抗精神病药物和抗抑郁药物药理特性的潜在影响。我们注意到,特别是从物理化学稳定性研究中获得的结果已在一些特定环境条件下通过实验得到证实,而关于临床结果影响的研究非常有限。卡马西平、丙戊酸盐、苯妥英或劳拉西泮似乎是有受高温和/或湿度影响风险的抗癫痫药物。在将血样运送到治疗药物监测单位的过程中,甚至需要考虑血样的稳定性,特别是对于生活在低收入国家的癫痫患者,这些国家由于基础设施和医疗系统能力低下而面临气候变化影响带来的最大挑战。我们需要更紧迫的研究来调查癫痫患者的药物反应,特别是诸如热浪等恶劣天气事件对药物物理化学稳定性或药代动力学的影响,以及药物与个体脆弱性、伴随的神经精神障碍和地理挑战之间的复杂相互作用。这样我们才能制定药理治疗策略,以改善癫痫患者在恶劣天气事件期间的生活质量。