Effecting about 1 in 26 people in their lifetime, epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders .
Treatment is essential, with seizure medications helping to control about 2/3rds of patients with epilepsy.
Keep reading for a quick Medications 101 on this topic:
Today physicians have more choices of anti-convulsant medications that they used to. Prior to this century only a handful of options were available; however over the past 25 years more than 18 ASD’s (anti-seizure drugs) have been approved for clinical use.
Of course, some medications work better for certain kinds of seizures than others. Fortunately, if a medication fails, a trial of another one or a combination can be prescribed.
It’s important to remember that the medication doesn’t cure or make the cause of the seizures go away - it just prevents the seizure from occurring.
Not an all inclusive list, but some popular anti-seizure drugs that are available:
Valproic acid: Also known as Depakote, this is a broad-spectrum AED that is considered the standard treatment for generalized seizures
Lamotrigine: treatment for primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures (including focal-onset tonic-clonic seizures). Important to be aware of the concern for a rash from this medication that has a rare but serious side effect.
Topiramate: treatment for primary generalized and focal onset seizures.
Gabapentin: Used to treat focal and secondary generalized tonic-clonic seizures
Levetiracetam: Used to treat focal seizures, myoclonic seizures, and tonic-clonic seizures. We often hear about it's possible behavioral or mood side effect.
Clobazam: Useful in seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) and primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures
Felbamate: Used for refractory generalized epilepsy
Diazepam: Can be administered intravenously to terminate a seizure.
Carbamazepine: focal seizures with complex symptomatology (psychomotor, temporal lobe), generalized tonic seizures, and mixed seizure patterns.
Oxcarbazepine: often is a first-line choice for treating focal-onset epilepsy.
Zonisamide: broad spectrum efficacy for generalized and focal seizures.
Phenobarbital: the oldest in the group developed in 1912. It has often been considered the first choice to treat certain kinds of seizures in infants.
Phenytoin: another drug that has been around for a long time and is used for generalized tonic-clonic seizures, focal seizures, and status epilepticus. Being aware of the toxicity symptoms for this medication is also important.
and Ethosuximide: Used for absence seizures
As with all medications, these drugs have side effects. Some more than others. Neurologists are of course the best resource for tailoring a patient’s best treatment plan for seizures.
Reducing the frequency and severity with minimal complications is always their goal.
As technologists awareness of medications is essential in being knowledgeable of our patient’s conditions.
Often we are the first point of contact for our patients and then we see them frequently as a follow up to their treatment.
Being aware of the specifics of their treatment plan helps encourage confidence in our abilities to assist them on their journey.
Roya Tompkins, MS, REEG/EP T, RPSGT
Resources:
National Institute of Health
Epilepsy Foundation
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