Physicians must decide which new antiepileptic drug to select for a given type of epilepsy. Screening characteristics and patient profiles obtained from compassionate-use trials with felbamate and lamotrigine, as well as from monotherapy trials with gabapentin, have helped in determining which agent to use when initiating therapy. Factors to consider include age, age at seizure onset, type of seizure(s), level of functioning, and cause of epilepsy. Also important are medications previously used, including their associated adverse effects; concurrent medical and psychiatric history; and factors that may affect patient compliance, such as type and number of medications, dosing regimen, and reliability in self-administration of medication.