Dr. William Benefield Jr., Pharm D., BCPP, FASCP

University of Texas at San Antonio and Austin

Dr. William Benefield graduated with honors from Auburn University with a BS in Pharmacy and received his Doctorate in Pharmacy degree from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas Health Center at San Antonio. Dr. Benefield completed his residency in Psychiatric Pharmacy Practice at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He has been board certified in Psychiatric Pharmacy since 1997 and is a founding member of CPNP. He is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Texas. He has practiced in the areas of developmental disabilities, hospice and long term care for the past 27 years. He has authored and co-authored chapters in Pharmacotherapy, the Pharmacotherapy Case Book, and Applied Therapeutics. He has presented at the national meetings of the ACCP, ASCP, American Epilepsy Society, American Academy of Neurology, and NCDEU.

EPILEPSY

ACPE# 0088-9999-24-048-L01-P

Objectives:

1.  Describe the signs & symptoms, diagnostic criteria, and pathophysiology for the various types of seizures.

2.  Discuss the efficacy of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment options in the acute and long-term management of epilepsy.

3.  Understand the mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, adverse events, significant drug interactions, and warning/precautions for medications used in epilepsy.

4.  Recognize an evidence-based drug therapy regimen (drug, dose, schedule, and duration of therapy) for stabilizing symptoms and preventing relapse given the clinical presentation of a specific patient.

5.  Outline a plan for monitoring and managing the safety and efficacy of anticonvulsant drug therapy.

6.  Review the management of epilepsy in special populations (pregnancy/lactation, children, elderly).