Epilepsy Drugs to Treat Seizures
An accurate diagnosis of the person has is very important in choosing the best treatment. The type of medication prescribed will also depend on several factors specific to each patient, such as which side effects can be tolerated, other illnesses they may have, and which delivery method is acceptable. let us know Epilepsy Drugs to Treat Seizures.
For 70% of patients with epilepsy, drugs can control seizures. However, they can’t cure epilepsy, and most people will need to continue taking medications.
Below is a list of some of the most common brand-name drugs currently used to treat epilepsy. Your doctor may prefer that you take the brand name of anticonvulsant and not the generic substitution. Talk with your doctor about this important issue.
- Cannabidiol (Epidiolex)
- Approved in 2018 for treatment of severe or hard-to-treat seizures including those in patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome.
- Common side effects include lethargy, sleepiness, fatigue, increased appetite, diarrhea, and sleep disorders.
- Brivaracetam (Briviact)
- Approved for use as an add-on treatment to other medications in treating partial-onset seizures in patients age 16 years and older.
- Possible side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting.
- Carbamazepine (Carbatrol or Tegretol)
- For partial, generalized tonic-clonic, and mixed seizures
- Common adverse effects include fatigue, vision changes, nausea, dizziness, rash.
4. Diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan) and similar Benzodiazepine tranquilizers such as clonazepam (Klonopin)
- Effective in the short-term treatment of all seizures; used often in the emergency room to stop a seizure, particularly status epilepticus
- Tolerance develops in most within a few weeks, so the same dose has less effect over time.
- Valium can be given orally, as an injection, in an IV, or as a rectal suppository.
- Side effects include tiredness, unsteady walking, nausea, depression, and loss of appetite. In children, they can cause drooling and hyperactivity.
5. Oxcarbazepine (Oxtellar XR, Trileptal)
- Used to treat partial seizures, it is a once-daily medicine used alone or with other medications to control seizures.
- Common side effects include dizziness, sleepiness, headache, vomiting, double vision, and balance problems.
6. Perampanel (Fycompa)
- The drug is approved to treat partial-onset seizures and primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures in those age 12 and older.
- The label carries a warning of potentially serious events including irritability, aggression, anger, anxiety, paranoia, euphoric mood, agitation, and changes in mental status.
7. Phenobarbitol
- The oldest epilepsy medicine is still in use. It is used to treat most forms of seizures and is known for its effectiveness and low cost.
- Side effects can be sleepiness or changes in behavior.
