DOI: 10.36347/sjmcr.2018.v06i01.011

Pages: 37-38

Levetiracetam is an antiepileptic drug commonly used in focal and generalized epileptic seizures because it has a low side-effect profile. However, recent studies in the literature have reported unexpected side effects thought to be associated with levetiracetam. In this report, we present the case of a patient with hypokalemia and hypomagnesaemia that are thought to be associated with the use of levetiracetam. A 34-year-old female patient was brought to the emergency department because she jumped from the fourth floor of a building, attempting to commit suicide. The laboratory investigation detected hypopotassemia and hypomagnesaemia. A detailed examination revealed no additional pathology that may have caused electrolyte imbalance. The patient had been taking levetiracetam at a dose of 2500 mg/day because of a history of epilepsy. Considering that the electrolyte imbalance in the patient may have been associated with the use of levetiracetam, the drug was tapered off, and treatment with 100 mg/day lamotrigine was initiated. The patient’s electrolyte imbalance improved during the follow-up period. This case reveals that increasingly used new antiepileptic drugs may have unforeseen side effects and thus require meticulous monitoring.