Activity provided by the American Epilepsy Society
Recording date: March 11, 2021
Activity launch date: March 23, 2021
Expiration date: March 23, 2024
This activity will alert epilepsy providers about new FDA safety warnings regarding potential cardiac effects of lamotrigine and to offer guidance for clinical care and communicating with patients.
Faculty will share their expertise in pharmacology, cardiology and epilepsy clinical care in the context of guidance on the lamotrigine safety warning. The webinar agenda includes time for attendee Q&A and input about the impact of lamotrigine in clinical practice.
Learning Objectives
Following participation in this activity the learner should be able to:
- Describe the recent FDA warnings on use of lamotrigine in patients with cardiac conditions.
- Identify the ion channels that comprise the cardiac electrical activation recovery process and the impact that Na+ channel blocking and QT prolonging drugs have on the risk of cardiac arrhythmias.
- Understand that In vitro results must be confirmed with clinical data, using the appropriate patient populations.
- Understand that widespread intra-ventricular conduction blocks and atrio-ventricular blocks of 2nd and 3rd degree are contraindications for any drug with sodium channel blocking properties except in the presence of a pacemaker.
- Recognize which patients should receive an EKG or cardiology consult is association with use of lamotrigine.
- Understand how to minimize any cardiac risk of lamotrigine use.
- Share questions and ideas related to clinical challenges and to communicating with patients about the lamotrigine safety warnings.
It is the policy of the American Epilepsy Society (AES) to ensure balance, independence, objectivity and scientific rigor. All individuals involved in the selection, development and presentation of content are required to disclose any real or apparent conflicts of interest. Conflicts of interest will be resolved by AES prior to an educational activity being delivered to learners.
Planning Committee, Faculty, Reviewers' Disclosures of Financial Relationships
In accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, the AES requires that any person who is in a position to control content of a CME activity must disclose all relevant financial relationships that they have with an ineligible company. Unless otherwise indicated (*), none of the planners or faculty of this activity have any financial relationships to disclose. All relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies have been mitigated. The following individuals contributed to this activity’s content.
Planning Committee and Faculty
David S. Auerbach, PhD, SUNY Upstate Medical University
Lennart Bergfeldt, PhD, University of Gothenburg
Jacqueline A. French, MD, NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center
- Received NYU salary support from the Epilepsy Foundation and for consulting work and/or attending Scientific Advisory Boards on behalf of the Epilepsy Study Consortium for Acadia, Adamas, Addex, Aeonian, Anavex, Axcella Health, Axovant, Biogen, BioMotiv/Koutif, Blackfynn, Bloom Science, BridgeValley, Cavion, Cerebral Therapeutics,Cerevel, Crossject, CuroNZ, Eisai, Empatica, Encoded, Engage Therapeutics, Epitel, GW Pharma, Idorsia, Impax, Ionis, J&J Pharmaceuticals, Marinus, Neurelis, Novartis, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development, Ovid Therapeutics Inc., Pfizer, Pfizer-Neusentis, Praxis, Redpin Therapeutics, Sage, Sancillio, Shire, SK Life Sciences, Springworks, Stoke, Sunovion, Supernus, Takeda, UCB Inc., Ultragenyx, Vyera, West Therapeutic Development, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Xeris, Zogenix, Zynerba.
- Received research grants from Biogen, Cavion, Eisai, Engage, GW Pharma, Lundbeck, Neurelis, Ovid, SK Life Sciences, Sunovion, UCB, and Zogenix as well as grants from the Epilepsy Research Foundation, Epilepsy Study Consortium, and NINDS. She is on the editorial board of Lancet Neurology and Neurology Today. She is scientific officer for the Epilepsy Foundation for which NYU receives salary support.
- Received travel reimbursement related to research, advisory meetings, or presentation of results at scientific meetings from the Epilepsy Study Consortium, the Epilepsy Foundation, Adamas, Axovant, Biogen, Blackfynn, Crossject, CuroNz, Engage, Idorsia, Neurelis, Novartis, Otsuka, Ovid, Pfizer, Redpin, Sage, SK Life Science, Takeda, UCB.
- Consultant for Best Doctors and Verana Health; and consultant for Greenwich Pharmaceutical.
- Grant/contract with CDC, Diamond Foundation, Neuoropace, Inc, NIH, and NSF; research support from Harvard Pilgrim, Inc; and Associate Editor for the journal Neurology.
- Consultant for Aquestive, EISAI INC., and Greenwich; cash compensation from SK Life Science End Point Review Committee for Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.; and grant/contract with UCB Inc.
- Consultant for Greenwich Biosciences, Inc., Neurelis, SK Life Science, Inc., and UCB Biosciences, Inc; and payment to his institution for work as principal investigator on antiseizure medication trials for SK Life Science and Xenon, Inc.
Fawad Khan, MD, Ochsner Neuroscience Institute
American Epilepsy Society Staff Planners
Cristina Graham
Joy Keller, MS, RD, MSLIS
Resolution of Conflicts of Interest
It is the policy of the American Epilepsy Society to ensure balance, independence, objectivity and scientific rigor. All persons involved in the selection, development and presentation of content are required to disclose any real or apparent conflicts of interest. In accordance with the ACCME Standards of Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, the AES implemented the mechanisms of prospective peer review of this CME activity, to identify and resolve any conflicts. Additionally, the content of this activity is based on the best available evidence.
Accreditation
The American Epilepsy Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
For more information regarding contact hours, please call American Epilepsy Society 312.883.3800 or education@aesnet.org.
Credit Designation
The American Epilepsy Society designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
CME Certificate
To receive credit for your participation in this activity, please complete the evaluation survey provided at the conclusion of the activity.
Unapproved Use Disclosure
The American Epilepsy Society requires CME authors to disclose to learners when products or procedures being discussed are off-label, unlabeled, experimental, and/or investigational (not FDA approved); and any limitations on the information that is presented, such as data that are preliminary or that represent ongoing research, interim analyses, and/or unsupported opinion. This information is intended solely for continuing medical education and is not intended to promote off-label use of these medications. If you have questions, contact the medical affairs department of the manufacturer for the most recent prescribing information. Information about pharmaceutical agents/devices that is outside of U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved labeling may be contained in this activity.
Disclaimer
This CME activity is for educational purposes only and does not constitute the opinion or endorsement of, or promotion by, the American Epilepsy Society. Reasonable efforts have been taken to present educational subject matter in a balanced, unbiased fashion, and in compliance with regulatory requirements. However, each activity participant must always use his or her own personal and professional judgment when considering further application of this information, particularly as it may relate to patient diagnostic or treatment decisions including, without limitation, FDA-approved uses and any off-label, investigational and/or experimental uses.