Topiramate - Medical Uses

Medical Uses

Topiramate is used to treat epilepsy in children and adults, and it was originally used as an anticonvulsant. In children, it is indicated for the treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a disorder that causes seizures and developmental delay. It is also Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for, and most frequently prescribed for, the prevention of migraines. Psychiatrists have used topiramate to treat bipolar disorder, and they sometimes use topiramate to augment psychotropics, or to counteract the weight gain associated with numerous antidepressants. In 2006, a Cochrane review concluded that there is insufficient evidence on which to base any recommendations regarding the use of topiramate in any phase of bipolar illness. However, a more recent Cochrane review, published in 2010, concluded that there was evidence for the efficacy of topiramate in the treatment of symptoms of borderline personality disorder, including mood instability.

This drug has been investigated for use in treating alcoholism, methamphetamine addiction, and obesity, especially to reduce binge eating.

This drug is also widely used to treat migraines due to the effect it has on the blood vessels in the brain. It is used as a preventative for atypical migraine sufferers. It widens the blood vessels in the brain which become restricted by increased serotonin levels. It has been found to be increasingly effective for migraine sufferers with very few side effects.

The drug is also used in clinical trials to treat post traumatic stress disorder. A pilot study suggested that topiramate is effective against infantile spasms. Another study recommends topiramate as an effective treatment in the prevention of periventricular leukomalacia in preterm infants after an hypoxic-ischemic injury.