Pharmacological Plan Of Epilepsy: A Case Study

Seizure disorders, according to the Mayo Clinic (2015), affect approximately 1 in 26 people in the United States. Persistent, or chronic, seizures result from a condition called epilepsy, a neurological disorder of the central nervous system. It can affect anyone regardless of age, but is more common during early childhood and after age 60. Given the number of people that seizure disorders, such as epilepsy, affect, it becomes helpful to gain a foundational understanding of the disease, including some of the causes, symptoms, and treatments available.

Rascati KL; Richards KM; Johnsrud MT; Mann TA. (2009). Effects of antiepileptic drug substitutions on epileptic events requiring acute care. pharmacotherapy.

Phenobarbital would be my drug of choice within the barbiturate class of drugs. I would choose to target these class of drugs for epilepsy due to their potency and yet the severity of side effects. As one of the oldest epileptic drugs, there is room for improvement with phenobarbital, particularly with the side effects mentioned. Also of note, there was a study that looked at possibly combining a NKCC1 inhibitor, such as bumetanide, with phenobarbital to increase the action of the barbiturate (4) or the combination of phenobarbital and phenytonin (10). I would use these ideas as a launching point for my research.

Epilepsy is a serious global problem that affects approximately 1% of people worldwide (1). Epilepsy is a chronic condition of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by epileptic seizures, which can affect physical and mental functions (2). Epileptic seizures are unprovoked reoccurring episodes of abnormal, excessive, or hypersynchronis neuronal activity in the CNS (2). The treatment options of epilepsy include medications called antiepileptic drugs (AED) and surgeries based on individuals’ specific diagnosis and background (1). The AED Keppra®, S-enantiomer of α-ethyl-2-oxo-1-pyrrolidine acetamide, or Levetiracetam (LEV) is Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for the treatment and prevention of epileptic

Status epilepticus are seizures lasting >20 minutes, or repeated seizures without regaining consciousness [71]. Physicians should be particularly careful with it, since the background may be other than epilepsy. Infection, haemorrhage, trauma, hypoxia, ischemic or haemorrhagic stroke, hypoglycaemia, hyponatremia, drug toxicity and alcohol withdraw should be ruled out. In any of the above, the provoking cause should be treated. If the cause is epilepsy, the treatment of choice is benzodiazepines and the second choice is phenytoin/ fosphenytoin, but with caution as rapid infusion may induce cardiovascular problems. For resistance in those two drugs, the Neurocritical Care Society’s Status Epilepticus Guideline

The first line therapy for treatment of clonic-tonic seizure are carbamazepine, phenytoin, valproic, and fosphenytoin. Phenytoin (Dilantin) is a first line, single therapy to treat both partial and generalized tonic-clinic seizures. The medication is also used to prevent seizures after brain surgery. Phenytoin works by suppressing of the sodium action potential and filtering out of sustained high-frequency neuronal discharges and synaptic activity. Through this action, phenytoin obstructs the positive feedback that underlies the development of maximal seizure activity, while normal brain activity.

However, medication therapy has been proven to be successful for almost three quarters of patients with generalized seizures. Unfortunately only fifty percent of epileptics with partial seizures are able to control seizure activity with medication. In the developing world nearly eighty percent of cases are inappropriately or not treated at all (centre, 2015). Depending on the age of the patient, the patient is nearly two to four times more at risk for early death during a seizure episode. The primary treatment for epilepsy is phenobarbital which is the least expensive anticonvulsant used to control generalized and partial seizures. Unfortunately due to its abuse potential it is often a controlled substance in countries and therefore not recommended as a first line of treatment. The lack of the ability to treat the majority of cases has led to severe social stigmas of epileptics and in many cases denial of the privileges such as being able to marry or drive a vehicle. Even with proper treatment nearly three out of ten epileptics continue to have seizures despite anticonvulsant therapy. A further estimated twenty percent can control their seizure activity if a second or third anticonvulsant is added to their regimen. Other than anticonvulsant medications minimizing or eliminating seizure triggers is the priority of therapy. Understanding the patients sensitivities are useful in indicating when a seizure will occur. Avoiding

There is a logical comparison between seizure disorders and bipolar disorder that is thought to explain the effectiveness of anticonvulsants on both disorders. An interesting anticonvulsant effect can be observed with the administration of lomotrigine (trade name Lamictal) which has stabilizing effects for both depressive and manic states while also providing therapeutic effects on depression (Stahl, 2013. p. 373). Many anticonvulsants are much more effective in the treatment of epilepsy but select drugs can be effectively employed to balance the cycling or reduce the intensity and length of

First, you must remain calm and cool. Secondly, you want to move things out of the way like glasses, ties, and also any hard or sharp objects close by that can cause injury. Another thing to remember is to put something soft under the head to protect it. If possible, try to turn them on their side. You should also time the seizure to help the doctor determine what kind of seizure it was. Lastly, you want to control the crowd if there’s one, call 9-1-1 and check for their medical bracelet or card. It’s important to remember the things you should avoid doing. Don’t try to hold down the person because you can hurt yourself or them. You shouldn’t offer food or drinks when it first begins because any little thing can cause them to choke. Most believe that when someone is having an epileptic seizure they can swallow their tongue. That is simply not true so don’t try to put anything in their mouth or grab their tongue because you can hurt them and yourself. Lastly, do not attempt CPR. It can only be done after the seizure has stopped and only if the person is not breathing when it

Epilepsy refers to a seizure disorder where the central nervous system does not function properly. It is a neurological disorder. It is when nerve cell activity in the brain is disturbed, causing seizures. There is no cure for epilepsy, but there are treatments to help limit the number of seizures. Most people that have epilepsy live normal lives with some or no restrictions. Most people outgrow their seizures once they get to adulthood. Seventy percent of people with epilepsy are diagnosed before the age of twenty and thirty percent develop a seizure disorder after the age of twenty. Understanding epilepsy’s origin, symptoms, diagnosis process, treatment options, and effects on daily life will eventually lead to a cure.

Different seizure medicines tend to yield different types of side effects. Just because a certain effect is common with one medication, however, does not mean that the individual will experience it. Many people have few or no problems with side effect. Some side effects are associated with specific medications and occur fairly frequently. Examples of some idiosyncratic effects are listed here. Of note, these will vary from one drug to another. Common dose dependent side effects are usually related to symptoms of the central nervous system and occur with higher dose amounts. Dilantin is often initial drug of choice. Prescribers have to be careful in switching from generic to trade name as bioavailability may vary and can lead to toxicity).

Over 65 million people in the world today suffer from some form of epilepsy. This condition, consisting of a set of neurological illnesses that create seizures, has never been fully cured or even understood through the course of modern medical history. The root cause of epilepsy largely remains a mystery even today but a handful of scientific breakthroughs in recent decades have allowed for the millions of individuals who suffer from this condition to find some relief. The abnormal nerve cell activity occurring in the cortex that leads to the seizures that represent epilepsy has not been harnessed and controlled but it now can be manipulated and mitigated through a combination of different treatments and practices. Through a concise review

The approved FDA indications for Levetiracetam are adjunctive therapy for adults and children four years of age or older with partial onset seizures, adjunctive therapy for myoclonic seizures in patients twelve years of age or older with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, and adjunctive therapy for primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures in adults and children six year of age and older with idiopathic generalized epilepsy. In a clinical trial of levetiracetam for treatment of partial onset seizures, there was a median reduction in weekly partial seizures of 43.4% compared with 16.3% for the placebo.(1,2) A clinical trial for levetiracetam as a treatment for tonic-clonic seizures in patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsies showed a mean

This clinical review study design is mainly based on scientific journal articles. The articles mainly take different medications and compare different drug related treatments for epilepsy. According to one article, 1/3 of those receiving treatment for epilepsy are not receiving adequate treatment as they still show up in the ED with life threatening epilepsy.1 In order to address this issue the article dove into three topics: new anti-seizure treatments for drug-resistant seizures, disease-modifying treatments that prevent epileptogenesis, treatment of the common associated morbidities that are tied with epilepsy.1

In conclusion, it must be understood that medication for epilepsy is not given in order to cure, but rather to control the disease and your pet may still continue to have fits on a regular basis. It is hoped that medication will reduce the number and severity of future fits. The first fit is always the most unnerving for the owner, and once an understanding of the medical situation is gained, the pets health can be maintained very satisfactorily in most