Neurology
Neurology medicines here span epilepsy, migraine, Parkinson’s disease, dementia and multiple sclerosis, including Lyrica, Neurontin and Topamax for seizures, and Maxalt, Relpax and Zomig for migraine.
Key points
- Epilepsy medicine choice depends on the seizure type, the epilepsy syndrome and individual safety factors.
- Migraine guidance separates acute treatment, taken during an attack, from preventive treatment, taken regularly to reduce attacks.
- A medicine’s place in this range depends on the disorder it treats, not just where in the nervous system it acts.
- This range spans five separate neurological areas: seizures, migraine, dementia, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis, each treated independently.
Antiseizure medicines
Pregabalin is the ingredient in Lyrica, and gabapentin is the ingredient in Neurontin; each is listed for partial onset seizures and postherpetic nerve pain, and Lyrica is also listed for fibromyalgia. Topiramate is the ingredient in Topamax, listed for seizure disorders and migraine prevention. Keppra contains levetiracetam, listed for partial onset, myoclonic and tonic-clonic seizures, and Lamictal contains lamotrigine, listed for epilepsy and bipolar I disorder.
Migraine, Parkinson’s, dementia and multiple sclerosis medicines
Maxalt, Relpax and Zomig are triptans, taken for an acute migraine attack rather than to prevent one. Aricept contains donepezil, a cholinesterase inhibitor listed for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Sinemet pairs carbidopa with levodopa for Parkinson’s disease and parkinsonism, and Mirapex contains pramipexole, also listed for restless legs syndrome. Aubagio contains teriflunomide, listed for relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis, clinically isolated syndrome and active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.