in functioning and quality of life (Goodwin et al., 2004). Anticonvulsants used as mood stabilizers have become the main therapy for preventing relapse of mood episodes (Stahl, 2013). A major concern that has risen from the use of anticonvulsants as mood stabilizers is the propensity to develop a major dermatologic emergency: Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS). A seven-year study completed by Devi et al. (2005) concluded that anticonvulsants were the cause implicated most in SJS, especially in the first
HISTORY OF THE KETOGENIC DIET: Dating even before Biblical times people realized that periodic and prolonged fasting was beneficial for epileptics. Little was known about why or how, but prolonged fasting could last up to 2 or 3 weeks. For some it involved clear broth diets and others abstained from everything but water (Key). It wasn’t until 1921 at the American Medical Association convention in Boston that endocrinologist (bordering on quacksalver) H. Rawle Geyelin from New York Presbyterian reported
remarkable results. I always remembered that the diet is called The Ketogenic Diet and that it was an ideal for children with otherwise untreatable epilepsy. Until recently, clinicians recommended brain surgery for epileptics who were unresponsive to anticonvulsant drugs. Clinicians can never know beforehand how effective a brain surgery will be, so the Ketogenic Diet can be an effective option before diving into brain surgery. It manipulates the metabolism and, hopefully, stems or completely eliminates
been developed for the treatment of sleep disorders. Zolpidem and eszopiclone are two different medications that can treat only some of the parts of the brain that respond to benzodiazepines. Depressants can also be used medically as anticonvulsants. Anticonvulsants work to lower the overall activity in the brain, thus helping prevent the abnormal electrical
Epilepsy Epilepsy is a condition in which an individual experiences recurrent seizures, all of which vary greatly. Caused by an occurrence of sporadic electrical surges in the brain, the categories of epilepsy are manifold. These seizures have multiple causes and treatment options and in the best cases, the seizure may be completely controlled. Epilepsy is one of the most common serious disorders of the brain affecting about 50 million people worldwide. Anyone could be diagnosed with epilepsy once
Jayson Karuna Epilepsy Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that causes individuals to have frequent seizures. However, originally epilepsy was not considered a biological or medical issue. Rather, It was said to be some sort of curse summoned by spirits or wrathful deities. Famed ancient Greek physician, Hippocrates, was the first individual to document epilepsy correctly as a biological disorder in 400 B.C. Although Hippocrates incorrectly believed epilepsy to be a condition caused by the imbalance
Inform consent was obtained from the legal representatives of the patients that were admitted to the intensive care unit. The only patients that were allowed to enroll were individuals who failed first-line (intravenous injection of diazepam) anticonvulsants. In the United States, lorazepam is considered the first-line drug for status epilepticus, but in China lorazepam is not available.
its way to the brain in order to be effective. In order for the medication to reach the brain, it has to be absorbed in to the blood steam. Once in the blood stream the brain can utilize the chemical compounds the medications release. Different anticonvulsant drugs targeted different four agents in the brain, sodium ion, calcium ion, GABA system and receptor agonists, and glutamate receptor antagonists. Sodium ion channels are
This type of treatment is primarily done through the use of anticonvulsant drugs. The individual's severity and location of the epilepsy will depend on exactly which of the many types of anticonvulsant drugs they are prescribed. A combination of drugs may be prescribed if the patient has more than one type of seizure that needs treating. There are two main types of drugs that are
Epilepsy Research Paper People most often associate violent twitching, falling to the floor and drooling with epilepsy. However the described event is only one kind of an epileptic seizure, which is called a tonic-clonic seizure. There are many other kinds of seizures, and each has different sets of signs and symptoms. During generalized seizures the whole brain is affected and the initial symptom is loss of consciousness. This category includes such seizures