Medication
Seizure medications are the main treatment for epilepsy because they control seizures in 70% of people. There are several different types of seizures that can occur in epilepsy. They range in severity, symptoms and duration. An anticonvulsant can help control seizure activity.
Procedures
Epilepsy is a condition in which a person experiences repeated seizures, due to an overall electrical disturbance in the brain. What are the most common seizure medications? First-line therapy for generalized tonic-clonic ( grand mal) seizures includes valproic acid (Depakene, Depakote), lamotrigine (Lamictal) and topiramate (Topamax).
Therapy
The following epilepsy medication list contains common drugs from which your doctor will choose: Carbamazepine (Tegretol) is narrow spectrum. Doctors commonly use it to treat focal, or partial, seizures. It comes in immediate-release, chewable, liquid, and extended-release forms.
Self-care
For partial seizures, common first-line medications include carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenytoin (Dilantin), Oxcarbazepine (Trileptal) and, especially in children, ethosuximide (Zarontin). Additionally, phenobarbital is often the medication of choice for seizures in very young children.
Nutrition
What are seizure medications?
What is epilepsy and how is it treated?
What are the different types of epilepsy drugs?
What is the best medication for seizures in children?
What is the best drug for seizures?
Many medications are used in the treatment of epilepsy and seizures, including:Carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol, others)Phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek)Valproic acid (Depakene)Oxcarbazepine (Oxtellar, Trileptal)Lamotrigine (Lamictal)Gabapentin (Gralise, Neurontin)Topiramate (Topamax)Phenobarbital.More items...•
What drug is administered during a seizure?
The names of benzodiazepines that are most commonly used as rescue medications include diazepam, lorazepam, clonazepam, and midazolam. The availability of these medicines in different forms and how they are used may vary from country to country.
What is the first line drug used to treat an active seizure?
Table 2Primary Generalized Tonic–Clonic SeizuresPartial Seizures*Atypical Absence Myoclonic, and Atonic SeizuresFirst-line agentsValproic acid Lamotrigine TopiramateCarbamazepine Phenytoin Oxcarbazepine Valproic AcidValproic acid Lamotrigine TopiramateAlternative agents1 more row
What is the safest anti seizure medication?
"[Lamictal] seems to be the winner," Marson says. The second trial looked at 716 patients newly diagnosed with generalized epilepsy. It compared the older drug valproic acid (in the U.S., Depakote is the most popular member of this drug family) to Lamictal and Topamax.
How is an active seizure treated?
First AidKeep other people out of the way.Clear hard or sharp objects away from the person.Don't try to hold them down or stop the movements.Place them on their side, to help keep their airway clear.Look at your watch at the start of the seizure, to time its length.Don't put anything in their mouth.
What is the first-line drug of choice for focal seizure?
Carbamazepine, phenytoin or valproic acid (sodium valproate) are often rated as first-line drugs, but factors such as adverse-effect profiles, age, possibility of pregnancy, and concomitant diseases and medication also need to be considered.
What do you do when an adult has a seizure?
Here are things you can do to help someone who is having this type of seizure:Ease the person to the floor.Turn the person gently onto one side. ... Clear the area around the person of anything hard or sharp. ... Put something soft and flat, like a folded jacket, under his or her head.Remove eyeglasses.More items...
What are the most commonly prescribed anticonvulsant drugs?
The top three agents prescribed by psychiatrists are clonazepam, lamotrigine, and divalproex; neurologists most commonly prescribe topiramate, gabapentin, and levetiracetam.
What is the oldest epilepsy medicine?
The label carries a warning of potential serious events including irritability, aggression, anger, anxiety, paranoia, euphoric mood, agitation, and changes in mental status. Phenobarbitol. Oldest epilepsy medicine still in use. It is used to treat most forms of seizures and is known for its effectiveness and low cost.
Can epilepsy drugs cure seizures?
Epilepsy Drug Guidelines. For 70% of patients with epilepsy, drugs can control seizures. However, they can't cure epilepsy, and most people will need to continue taking medications. An accurate diagnosis of the type of epilepsy (not just the type of seizure, because most seizure types occur in different types of epilepsy) a person has is very ...
What are the drugs used to treat seizures?
Select drug class All drug classes barbiturates (1) benzodiazepines (5) vitamins (3) progestins (1) hydantoin anticonvulsants (6) succinimide anticonvulsants (4) barbiturate anticonvulsants (3) ...
What is a convulsion med?
Medications for Seizures (Convulsions) A seizure or convulsion can be a sudden, violent, uncontrollable contraction of a group of muscles. A seizure can also be more subtle, consisting of only a brief "loss of contact" or a few moments of what appears to be daydreaming.
Is there a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision?
Has a high potential for abuse. Has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions. Abuse may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.
Classes of Epilepsy Medications
The goal of epilepsy drug treatment is having no seizures with as few side effects as possible. Reaching this goal can be challenging. There is no standard formula for choosing a drug and no one drug is clearly better than another.
Common Epilepsy Medications
When choosing a medication, your doctor will consider your seizure type and other health conditions. Potential side effects and drug interactions will also be important considerations.
About The Author
Sarah Lewis is a pharmacist and a medical writer with over 25 years of experience in various areas of pharmacy practice. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree from West Virginia University and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy.
What is the best seizure medication?
The best seizure medication is one that treats the particular type of seizure a patient is experiencing. Some seizure medications work best on generalized tonic-clonic seizures (grand mal seizures). These are the kind of seizures typically seen with epilepsy. Others are more effective at controlling partial or absence ( petit mal) seizures.
What is the best medication for seizures in children?
Other seizure medications commonly used in children include phenytoin (Dilantin) and carbamazepine (Tegretol). Several seizure medications can be used to treat Lennox Gastaut Syndrome – a severe form of epilepsy that affects children.
What is the best medication for migraines?
Seizure medications for headaches and migraines. Two seizure medications are also used to prevent migraine headaches: Valproic acid (Depakene, Depakote) and. topiramate (Topamax). Some studies suggest using these medications can significantly reduce the number of migraine headaches.
How long does a seizure last?
Seizures are generally short-lived – from 15 seconds to 15 minutes – however; there is a life-threatening type of seizure, status epilepticus, in which the seizure does not stop.
What is the term for a seizure that is uncontrollable?
Seizures are also known as convulsions – but not all seizures produce convulsive behavior – that is uncontrollable muscle contractions. Absence seizures, for example, involve brief periods of staring. With atonic seizures, there is a loss of muscular tone or strength. The symptoms produced by a seizure are dependent on which part ...
What causes seizures in the brain?
Common causes include. congenital abnormalities of the brain, illicit drug use, fever, brain tumors and metabolic imbalances, such as high levels of glucose or sodium.
Can anti-seizure medication cause depression?
Also, most anti- seizure medications can induce suicidal thoughts or actions, and/ or bring on or worsen depression. Seizure medications have a variety of possible side effects.