Drugs for the treatment of epilepsy

Epilepsy is a complex neurological disease characterized by the development of generalized seizures or absences, accompanied by a progressive change in the personality of the patient. As a rule, epilepsy requires constant and long-term treatment with a neurologist, taking pills, and in some cases using surgical methods of exposure.

Causes of epilepsy

For the onset of epilepsy, it is necessary to have at least one of the following factors - either a cluster of neurons with increased excitability, or a group of neurons capable of generating neural excitation without external signals.

Important! At the basis of the development of an epileptic fit is the generalized excitation of neurons in the cerebral cortex, leading to seizures of a different nature( generalized or partial seizures, absences).

In addition to this, against the background of formation of pathological foci of excitation in the brain and with prolonged exposure to drugs, a persistent deformity of the personality is formed according to the epileptic type, characterized by disturbances in the mood, motivation and behavior of a person.

Epilepsy classification

All epileptic seizures, based on the clinical picture and electroencephalography data, fall into two broad categories:

• primary generalized seizures;
• partial seizures.

Primary-generalized seizures are manifested by the occurrence of bilateral seizures, without any local manifestations. They include tonic-clonic convulsions, which are usually associated with the concept of "epilepsy", as well as absences, which are manifested by a sharp cessation of activity and fading in one posture. The latter, most often observed in children. Partial convulsive attacks are manifested by the occurrence of seizures of various locations, which can occur with loss of consciousness.

Drugs for the treatment of epilepsy

The most important group of drugs used in the treatment of epilepsy are anticonvulsants, which can reduce the frequency of seizures and reduce their duration. In a number of cases, complete disappearance of convulsive seizures is possible with further removal of the diagnosis of epilepsy.

Tablets from epilepsy from the group of anticonvulsants - preparations of barbituric acid, carbamazepines, as well as derivatives of valproic acid. The last group, namely Depakin and Konvuleks are used most often. New drugs for the treatment of epilepsy - Lamotrigine, Oxcarbazepine and Topiramate.

In addition, nootropics are actively used in epilepsy - Phenotropol, Pyracetam, etc. This group of drugs improves the metabolism of neurons and stabilizes their activity, which leads to a decrease in the frequency and duration of attacks. In this case, there is a positive effect on the cognitive and behavioral abilities of a person.

Important! The use of antibiotics for epilepsy does not make any sense, since the bacterial infectious factor plays no role in the development of this disease. Their use can be justified, as is the use of paracetamol in epilepsy, only if other bacterial infections( sore throats, pneumonia) are attached to the disease.

In addition to anticonvulsants, nootropics are used tranquilizers, which allow to normalize the activity of neurons of the brain and change the mood of the patient, which plays an important role in the treatment process. The appointment of folic acid in epilepsy is advisable only in patients with pregnant women. There are a number of controversial facts about the positive effect of folic acid on the course of the disease.

Similar ambiguous data are available on the use of calcium preparations for the treatment of epilepsy. Calcium, has the ability to change the activity of groups of neurons, but in clinical practice this thesis has not found objective evidence.

Treatment of epilepsy is a complex problem, which the neurologist should deal with after a thorough and careful examination of the patient. The prescription of medications is life-long, since the diagnosis of epilepsy is removed from the patient very rarely. In the case of objective reasons for the occurrence of convulsive seizures - brain tumors, brains of the cerebral membranes - surgical treatment is carried out aimed at removing those formations that are capable of stimulating the neurons of the cerebral cortex and provoking the onset of seizures.