Neurology

Strong Epilepsy Center

Treatments - Anti-Seizure Drugs

Individualized Drug Treatment Plans

We develop individualized drug treatment plans for each patient. Several questions are considered before a treatment plan is formulated.

Is the diagnosis of your seizure type correct?

There are many different types of seizures. Some patients continue to have seizures because the medicine they are taking is not effective for that particular seizure type.

Sometimes, we use tests to determine the exact seizure type, so we will know which medicine will be most likely to help. We may ask you to come to the hospital for Long Term Video/EEG Monitoring or an MRI scan, or other tests.

What other factors should we consider?

Everyone is different. Factors, such as age, gender, allergies to medications, other illnesses, or interactions with other medications, may influence our suggestions about particular medicines. For example, the elderly may tolerate some medicines less well than others. Women who wish to become pregnant need medications that will have little or no impact on the health of the fetus.

Sometimes stress can make seizures occur more frequently. Our psychosocial team helps us identify other factors that may affect a patient's seizures.

How can we simplify the number of drugs to reduce their side effects?

In all cases, we balance effectiveness of the medications with the individual's tolerance of the side effects. This usually means that single drug regimens are tolerated best, but if more than one medication is needed, the fewer the better. This is especially true if a person is taking medications for other conditions because drug interactions can occur and need to be anticipated.

For difficult seizures, are there drugs which complement one another?

If seizures are not controlled with single drugs, multiple drugs are necessary. To minimize adverse effects, we try to find drugs that complement each other and work well with each other. We also may suggest enrolling in a clinical trial of a drug that is not yet on the market.

Our goal is to maximize the quality of life for our patients while we effectively control their seizures with medication.