![]() |
NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Friday, August 29, 2008
|
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved nine drugs for treatment of epilepsy since 1992. The new drugs have provided more options for patients who have epilepsy. They have also enabled many patients with epilepsy to have better control of their seizures. More than 2.5 million Americans have epilepsy and approximately 35% have poorly controlled epilepsy.
The new drugs are:
Other treatments for epilepsy include the vagus nerve stimulator (VNS). This pacemaker-like device is designed to provide a small electrical stimulus to the left vagus nerve (in the neck). Seizures may be reduced with this device. See the Epilepsy Foundation for more information.
Epilepsy surgery may be an option for patients with partial epilepsy. A recent trial showed that surgery was a better option compared to medication for patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. See the Epilepsy Foundation for more information.
There are other medications and stimulation devices currently in clinical trials. See ClinicalTrials.gov for more information.
Last Reviewed: Jan 30, 2008
|
David M. Ficker, MD Associate Professor Department of Neurology College of Medicine University of Cincinnati |
|