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Seiden LG, Connor GS. The importance of drug titration in the management of patients with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav 2022; 128:108517. [PMID: 35066388 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.108517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The variable response to antiseizure medication (ASM) treatment and the numerous drug- and patient-related factors that must be considered when initiating therapy make drug titration to an optimal and tolerable dose an essential component in the pharmacologic treatment of patients with epilepsy. When initiating a new ASM, a "start low, go slow" titration approach is generally recommended and has been shown to reduce the risk of severe idiosyncratic reactions with certain medications and improve tolerability with regard to many frequently occurring central nervous system-related adverse effects (e.g., somnolence, dizziness). Many patients with epilepsy will require medication changes due to lack of efficacy or intolerability of the initial regimen. When this occurs, patients may be switched from one monotherapy to another or receive adjunctive therapy. When transitioning a patient from one ASM to another (referred to as monotherapy conversion or transitional polytherapy), there are several strategies for tapering the baseline ASM depending on the clinical scenario. Regardless of the particular strategy, the goal should be to discontinue the baseline ASM in order to prevent increased toxicity due to drug load. When adding on ASM therapy, flexible titration of the new ASM and adjustment of concomitant ASMs to achieve disease control with the lowest possible drug load (lowest numbers and lowest doses) may help improve tolerability of the add-on therapy. Communication with patients during the initiation of a new therapy may help patients adhere to the titration schedule, allowing them to reach their optimal maintenance dose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence G Seiden
- The Multiple Sclerosis Center of Atlanta, 3200 Downwood Circle NW, Suite 550, Atlanta, GA 30327, USA.
| | - Gregory S Connor
- Neurological Center of Oklahoma, 6585 South Yale Avenue, Suite 620, Tulsa, OK 74136, USA
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Kapelios CJ, Laroche C, Crespo-Leiro MG, Anker SD, Coats AJS, Díaz-Molina B, Filippatos G, Lainscak M, Maggioni AP, McDonagh T, Mebazaa A, Metra M, Moura B, Mullens W, Piepoli MF, Rosano GMC, Ruschitzka F, Seferovic PM, Lund LH. Association between loop diuretic dose changes and outcomes in chronic heart failure: observations from the ESC-EORP Heart Failure Long-Term Registry. Eur J Heart Fail 2020; 22:1424-1437. [PMID: 32237110 DOI: 10.1002/ejhf.1796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2019] [Revised: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Guidelines recommend down-titration of loop diuretics (LD) once euvolaemia is achieved. In outpatients with heart failure (HF), we investigated LD dose changes in daily cardiology practice, agreement with guideline recommendations, predictors of successful LD down-titration and association between dose changes and outcomes. METHODS AND RESULTS We included 8130 HF patients from the ESC-EORP Heart Failure Long-Term Registry. Among patients who had dose decreased, successful decrease was defined as the decrease not followed by death, HF hospitalization, New York Heart Association class deterioration, or subsequent increase in LD dose. Mean age was 66 ± 13 years, 71% men, 62% HF with reduced ejection fraction, 19% HF with mid-range ejection fraction, 19% HF with preserved ejection fraction. Median [interquartile range (IQR)] LD dose was 40 (25-80) mg. LD dose was increased in 16%, decreased in 8.3% and unchanged in 76%. Median (IQR) follow-up was 372 (363-419) days. Diuretic dose increase (vs. no change) was associated with HF death [hazard ratio (HR) 1.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12-2.08; P = 0.008] and nominally with cardiovascular death (HR 1.25, 95% CI 0.96-1.63; P = 0.103). Decrease of diuretic dose (vs. no change) was associated with nominally lower HF (HR 0.59, 95% CI 0.33-1.07; P = 0.083) and cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.38-1.00; P = 0.052). Among patients who had LD dose decreased, systolic blood pressure [odds ratio (OR) 1.11 per 10 mmHg increase, 95% CI 1.01-1.22; P = 0.032], and absence of (i) sleep apnoea (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.09-0.69; P = 0.008), (ii) peripheral congestion (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.29-0.80; P = 0.005), and (iii) moderate/severe mitral regurgitation (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.37-0.87; P = 0.008) were independently associated with successful decrease. CONCLUSION Diuretic dose was unchanged in 76% and decreased in 8.3% of outpatients with chronic HF. LD dose increase was associated with worse outcomes, while the LD dose decrease group showed a trend for better outcomes compared with the no-change group. Higher systolic blood pressure, and absence of (i) sleep apnoea, (ii) peripheral congestion, and (iii) moderate/severe mitral regurgitation were independently associated with successful dose decrease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris J Kapelios
- Department of Cardiology, Laiko General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Cécile Laroche
- EURObservational Research Programme, European Society of Cardiology, Sophia-Antipolis, France
| | - Maria G Crespo-Leiro
- Unidad de Insuficiencia Cardiaca Avanzada y Trasplante Cardiaco, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruna, CHUAC, INIBIC, UDC, CIBERCV, La Coruna, Spain
| | - Stefan D Anker
- Department of Cardiology (CVK), Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT); German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) Partner Site Berlin; Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Beatria Díaz-Molina
- Unidad de Insuficiencia Cardiaca Avanzada y Trasplante Cardiaco, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Gerasimos Filippatos
- Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, University of Cyprus & Heart Failure Unit, University Hospital Attikon, National and Kapodistrian Univeristy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Mitja Lainscak
- Division of Cardiology, Murska Sobota, Murska Sobota and Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Aldo P Maggioni
- EURObservational Research Programme, European Society of Cardiology, Sophia-Antipolis, France
- ANMCO Research Center, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Alexandre Mebazaa
- Department of Anesthesia-Burn-Critical Care, UMR 942 Inserm - MASCOT, University of Paris; APHP Saint Louis Lariboisière University Hospitals, Paris, France
| | - Marco Metra
- Cardiology, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences, and Public Health, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Brenda Moura
- Department of Cardiology, Hospital Militar, Porto, Cintesis- Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Wilfried Mullens
- Department of Cardiology, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Genk, Belgium; Biomedical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Massimo F Piepoli
- Heart Failure Unit, Cardiac Department, G. da Saliceto Hospital, AUSL, Piacenza, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Lars H Lund
- Unit of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, and Heart and Vascular Theme, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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