Antiepileptic drugs are medicines that have the ability to prevent the development of seizures or reduce their severity in patients with a diagnosis of epilepsy . They act by suppressing in the brain excessive and rapid excitation of neurons in the brain, at which the attack begins.
How do antiepileptic drugs work?
The general principle of the drugs used in epilepsy is a rapid reduction in the frequency of neuronal triggering. But all the means of this group show selective inhibition of the activity of pathological neurons. This property of such drugs underlies the classification of antiepileptic drugs. They can:
- intensify the activity of inhibitory neurons;
- inhibit the excitatory receptors of neurons;
- directly affect the conduct of an electrical impulse.
Most side effects that appear after taking antiepileptic drugs are insignificant. It can be fatigue, weight gain or dizziness. But in some cases, the medical treatment of epilepsy leads to the development of psychosis or depression. That is why, when a person is just starting to take a new cure for epilepsy, the dosage is regulated so that a safe and effective level of the drug is achieved in the blood. As a rule, in the first stage of therapy, the lowest doses of the drug are prescribed, which are determined by the half-life of the drug.
What antiepileptic drugs are prescribed?
Currently, many modern antiepileptic drugs are approved for the treatment of epilepsy. The doctor always recommends the medicine, based on several factors:
- Type of seizures and diseases. Some antiepileptic drugs of the old or the new generation are effective in managing infrequent seizures (eg, Ethosuximide), while others are prescribed for those who have repeated seizures
(Rufinamide or Diazepam). - Age and medical history of the patient. Patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy or school-age children are usually prescribed carbamazepine, phenytoin or valproate, and those who have long been fighting this disease often prescribe new antiepileptic drugs (Trileptal or Topamax).
- Probability of pregnancy. There is a group of drugs specifically designed for women who can become pregnant. They are more safe for the developing fetus (Carba-mazepine, Lamotrigine and Valproate).