Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Alberta
Foothills Medical Centre, Adults Levetiracetam is used as first- Covered as a regular
Epilepsy Clinic, Calgary line treatment for different benefit.
types of seizures, as either
monotherapy or adjunctive
therapy.
Saskatchewan
Royal University Hospital, Adults and Levetiracetam is used as first- Covered as a regular
Epilepsy Program, children line treatment for different benefit.
Saskatoon types of seizures, as either
monotherapy or adjunctive
therapy.
Manitoba
Health Sciences Centre, Adults Levetiracetam is used as Not covered.
Epilepsy Clinic, Winnipeg adjunctive therapy for complex
partial seizures, simple partial
seizures, primary tonic-clonic
seizures, and absence seizures.
It is not typically used first- or
Ontario
London Health Sciences Adults and Levetiracetam is mainly used as Not covered.
Centre, Epilepsy children a second- or third-line adjuvant
Programme, London treatment for complex and
simple partial seizures. It is also
used as monotherapy and as
first-line treatment in some
cases. It is not used for absence
seizures, and rarely for primary
generalized seizures.
Conclusion
Complementing this Environmental Scan,
Levetiracetam is used across Canada as CADTH prepared two Rapid Response
monotherapy or adjunctive therapy for the reports in 2011 pertaining to the clinical
management of partial seizures in children effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and
and adults. It is also used for generalized safety of levetiracetam treatment in
seizures (including tonic-clonic and patients with epilepsy and guidelines for
myoclonic) in most treatment centres, but pharmacological treatments in patients
is not always considered a treatment with epilepsy. These summaries are
choice for absence seizures. There are available for free on the CADTH
variations in the reimbursement of website.19,20
levitiracetam by the provincial drug plans.
Some neurologists may consider
levitiracetam to be a first line therapy for
specific populations with partial seizures
and primary generalized seizures.
References cepmb.gc.ca/english/View.asp?x=1202
&mid=1019
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Ottawa: CADTH; 2011 Apr 1. [cited
Cite as: Ndegwa, S. Levetiracetam for the Treatment of Epilepsy [Environmental Scan issue 30]. Ottawa:
Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health; 2011.
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CADTH takes sole responsibility for the final form and content of this environmental scan. The statements and
conclusions in this environmental scan are those of CADTH.
Production of this report is made possible by financial contributions from Health Canada and the governments
of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories,
Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, and Yukon. The Canadian Agency for Drugs and
Technologies in Health takes sole responsibility for the final form and content of this report. The views
expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of Health Canada or any provincial or territorial
government.
***************
Disclaimer: The Environmental Scanning Service is an information service for those involved in planning and
providing health care in Canada. Environmental Scanning Service responses are based on a limited literature
search and are not comprehensive, systematic reviews. The intent is to provide information on a topic that
CADTH could identify using all reasonable efforts within the time allowed. Environmental Scanning Service
responses should be considered along with other types of information and health care considerations. The
information included in this response is not intended to replace professional medical advice nor should it be
construed as a recommendation for or against the use of a particular health technology. Readers are also
cautioned that a lack of good quality evidence does not necessarily mean a lack of effectiveness, particularly
in the case of new and emerging health technologies for which little information can be found but that may in
future prove to be effective. While CADTH has taken care in the preparation of the report to ensure that its
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