Which screening blood tests should be performed for patients taking Antiepileptics
How often should they be done?
Many AEDs may affect the ability of the bone marrow to produce blood cells or may cause liver dysfunction. It is reasonable to use complete blood count and comprehensive metabolic profile tests as baseline studies to identify predisposing problems.
After this initial screening, it is usually not necessary to perform these studies routinely unless the patient is symptomatic.
Possible exceptions are young children and developmentally delayed patients who cannot communicate their toxic symptoms.
Other special situations include the use of felbamate and valproate, which require hematologic and hepatic function monitoring, and carbamazepine, which requires hematologic monitoring.
