[Advantages and disadvantages of new antiepileptic drugs].

Taking the characteristics of the ideal antiepileptic drug as the standard, the advantages and disadvantages of the drugs commercially available in recent years-vigabatrin, lamotrigin, gabapentin, and felbamate-are considered from the point of view of their mode of action, pharmacokinetic properties, therapeutic spectrum and adverse side effects, and indications are given for their prescription and administration so as to improve tolerance when used as monotherapy or in polytherapy, with a table showing the pharmacokinetic interactions which may occur between the older and newer antiepileptic drugs used in polytherapy.