Pharmacotherapeutic and Non-Pharmacological Options for Refractory and Difficult-to-Treat Seizures
It is currently estimated that about 20%–30% of adults and 10%–40% of children diagnosed with epilepsy suffer from uncontrolled or poorly controlled seizures, despite optimal medical management. In addition to its huge economic costs, treatment-refractory epilepsy has a widespread impact on patients...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2012-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of Central Nervous System Disease |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.4137/JCNSD.S8315 |
| _version_ | 1818508967043661824 |
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| author | James W. Mitchell Stefano Seri Andrea E. Cavanna |
| author_facet | James W. Mitchell Stefano Seri Andrea E. Cavanna |
| author_sort | James W. Mitchell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | It is currently estimated that about 20%–30% of adults and 10%–40% of children diagnosed with epilepsy suffer from uncontrolled or poorly controlled seizures, despite optimal medical management. In addition to its huge economic costs, treatment-refractory epilepsy has a widespread impact on patients’ health-related quality of life. The present paper focuses on the concepts of refractory and difficult-to-treat seizures and their pharmacological management. Evidence on efficacy and tolerability of rational pharmacotherapy with antiepileptic drug combinations and of non-pharmacological treatment options such as epilepsy surgery, neurostimulation, metabolic treatment and herbal remedies is reviewed. The importance of early identification of the underlying etiology of the specific epilepsy syndrome is emphasized, to inform early prognosis and therapeutic strategies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T22:39:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f562335f36b24a54b62c589174e5d042 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1179-5735 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T22:39:07Z |
| publishDate | 2012-04-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Central Nervous System Disease |
| spelling | doaj.art-f562335f36b24a54b62c589174e5d0422022-12-22T01:30:45ZengSAGE PublishingJournal of Central Nervous System Disease1179-57352012-04-01410.4137/JCNSD.S8315Pharmacotherapeutic and Non-Pharmacological Options for Refractory and Difficult-to-Treat SeizuresJames W. Mitchell0Stefano Seri1Andrea E. Cavanna2Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Birmingham and BSMHFT, Birmingham, United Kingdom.School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston Brain Centre, Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom.Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, United Kingdom.It is currently estimated that about 20%–30% of adults and 10%–40% of children diagnosed with epilepsy suffer from uncontrolled or poorly controlled seizures, despite optimal medical management. In addition to its huge economic costs, treatment-refractory epilepsy has a widespread impact on patients’ health-related quality of life. The present paper focuses on the concepts of refractory and difficult-to-treat seizures and their pharmacological management. Evidence on efficacy and tolerability of rational pharmacotherapy with antiepileptic drug combinations and of non-pharmacological treatment options such as epilepsy surgery, neurostimulation, metabolic treatment and herbal remedies is reviewed. The importance of early identification of the underlying etiology of the specific epilepsy syndrome is emphasized, to inform early prognosis and therapeutic strategies.https://doi.org/10.4137/JCNSD.S8315 |
| spellingShingle | James W. Mitchell Stefano Seri Andrea E. Cavanna Pharmacotherapeutic and Non-Pharmacological Options for Refractory and Difficult-to-Treat Seizures Journal of Central Nervous System Disease |
| title | Pharmacotherapeutic and Non-Pharmacological Options for Refractory and Difficult-to-Treat Seizures |
| title_full | Pharmacotherapeutic and Non-Pharmacological Options for Refractory and Difficult-to-Treat Seizures |
| title_fullStr | Pharmacotherapeutic and Non-Pharmacological Options for Refractory and Difficult-to-Treat Seizures |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pharmacotherapeutic and Non-Pharmacological Options for Refractory and Difficult-to-Treat Seizures |
| title_short | Pharmacotherapeutic and Non-Pharmacological Options for Refractory and Difficult-to-Treat Seizures |
| title_sort | pharmacotherapeutic and non pharmacological options for refractory and difficult to treat seizures |
| url | https://doi.org/10.4137/JCNSD.S8315 |
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