levetiracetam and Heart-Failure

To compare the hazard for all-cause mortality and mortality due to heart failure (HF) between valproate (VPA) and levetiracetam (LEV)/lamotrigine (LTG) users in patients aged ≥ 65 with comorbidities of epilepsy and HF.. This was a cohort study using Danish registers during the period from January 1996 to July 2018. The study population included new users of LTG, LEV or VPA. A Cox regression model was used to compute crude and adjusted hazard ratios for the outcome, using an intention-to-treat approach. Average treatment effects (eg, 1-year absolute risks), risk differences and the ratio of risks were computed using the G-formula based on a Cox regression model for the outcomes at the end of the follow-up period.. We included 1345 subjects in the study population. VPA users (n = 696), when compared to LTG/LEV users (n = 649), had an increased hazard of mortality due to HF (hazard ratio [HR] 2.39; 95% CI 1.02-5.60) and to all-cause mortality (HR 1.37; 95% CI 1.01-1.85) in both crude and adjusted analyses. The 1-year absolute risks for all-cause mortality were 29% (95% CI 25%-33%) and 22% (95% CI 18%-26%) for VPA and LTG/LEV users. For mortality due to HF, 1-year absolute risks were 5% (95% CI 3%-7%) and 2% (95% CI 1%-4%) for VPA and LTG/LEV users. The average risk ratio, with LTG/LEV as the reference group, was 1.31 (95% CI 1.02-1.71) for all-cause mortality and 2.35 (95% CI 1.11-5.76) for HF mortality.. In older people with HF and epilepsy, treatment with VPA was associated with a higher risk of all-cause and HF mortality compared to treatment with LTG and LEV.

Topics: Aged; Anticonvulsants; Cohort Studies; Denmark; Epilepsy; Heart Failure; Humans; Lamotrigine; Levetiracetam; Prognosis; Valproic Acid

Hyponatremia is frequently seen in heart failure patients and has a high mortality rate. If not treated adequately, acute and chronic hyponatremia may worsen the prognosis of heart failure. Despite its high incidence in heart failure patients, other underlying conditions that possibly lead to the incidence of hyponatremia may be underestimated, thus making its treatment more difficult. In this case study, we describe a rare case of levetiracem-induced and tolvaptan-resistant hyponatremia.

Topics: Aged; Anticonvulsants; Antidiuretic Hormone Receptor Antagonists; Benzazepines; Epilepsy; Heart Failure; Humans; Hyponatremia; Inappropriate ADH Syndrome; Levetiracetam; Male; Piracetam; Tolvaptan