Levetiracetam
- Class: Anticonvulsant
- Used for: seizures
- Say it: lee-vuh-tye-RA-seh-tam
- Forms: tablet, oral liquid, injection
Remember the name – LEVE → level, RACETAM → racing
LEVETIRACETAM LEVELS the RACING brain. The electrical storm flattens out.
It binds synaptic vesicle protein SV2A and damps excessive neuronal firing. Its real advantage is a clean one: almost no drug interactions, unlike the older antiepileptics.
LEVETIRACETAM LEVELS the RACING brain. The electrical storm flattens out.
It binds synaptic vesicle protein SV2A and damps excessive neuronal firing. Its real advantage is a clean one: almost no drug interactions, unlike the older antiepileptics.
Mnemonic: Levetiracetam is the SV2A drug — and the one that plays well with others
It binds synaptic vesicle protein 2A, a target no other common antiepileptic uses. It is not handled by the liver's CYP enzymes, so it barely interacts with anything.
It binds synaptic vesicle protein 2A, a target no other common antiepileptic uses. It is not handled by the liver's CYP enzymes, so it barely interacts with anything.
Side effects
Common: drowsiness, fatigue, irritability
Serious: aggression, suicidal thoughts
Typical dose
500 mg twice daily, up to 1500 mg twice daily
Reduce in renal impairment. Ask about irritability and mood at every review.
Check yourself
What is Levetiracetam's main practical advantage?
- Very few drug interactions, since the CYP enzymes do not metabolise it
- It can be stopped abruptly with no risk
- It has no effect on mood or behaviour
- It is the only antiepileptic that is safe in pregnancy
Show answer
A. Very few drug interactions, since the CYP enzymes do not metabolise it
That is why it is reached for in patients on warfarin, chemotherapy or antiretrovirals. Its mood and behaviour effects are real, so option three is precisely wrong.
See it, don't memorize it
The app has the mechanism comic and a patient case for Levetiracetam – plus the name link, the class mnemonic, pronunciation you can hear, and a self-check, for the top 100 drugs. One purchase, no subscription, no account.