Medications relative side effect profiles

As indicated earlier, the development of the newer antiseizure medications has advanced the strategy of using two drugs rather than a single agent. Because these newer drugs have relatively predictable pharmacokinetic and side-effect profiles, they can be added to traditional medications without excessive complications and risk to the patient.4,31 Combination therapy is therefore a more common approach to treating seizure disorders than it was in the past. 

At an advanced stage (II, III) with AMA profile B, the combination of UDCA -I- prednisolone (maintenance dose 4-8 mg/day in the morning) should generally be administered as first medication. In the case of unsatisfactory therapeutic results or with AMA profiles C or D (= stages III or IV), we would recommend the additional administration of azathloprine as a triple therapy. A dosage of 1 x 50 mg (up to 2 x 50 mg) per day is well-tolerated and, like prednisolone at this dosage, has relatively few side effects. A maintenance dose of 50 mg every second day may be sufficient. (170) The immunomodulatory action of UDCA is thus combined with the immunosuppressive effect of azathioprine, while the antiinflammatory characteristics of the steroids are also included, i.e. the two-substance combination is extended to a triple combination if necessary, especially in profiles Cor D. 

---