“[ Lamictal] seems to be the winner,” Marson says. The second trial looked at 716 patients newly diagnosed with generalized epilepsy. It compared the older drug valproic acid (in the U.S., Depakote is the most popular member of this drug family) to Lamictal and Topamax.
What are anticonvulsant medication used for?
Anticonvulsant medications are FDA approved to treat seizures and many other medical conditions unrelated to seizure disorders.
Which of the following is used as anticonvulsant?
Numerous drugs are available, including the typical anticonvulsants, such as carbamazepine , phenytoin, valproate, and oxcarbazepine, and atypical anticonvulsants, such as gabapentin, pregabalin, topiramate and lamotrigine, and clonazepam.
What are the 3 types of seizures?
- absence seizures (formerly known as petit mal)
- tonic-clonic or convulsive seizures (formerly known as grand mal)
- atonic seizures (also known as drop attacks)
- clonic seizures.
- tonic seizures.
- myoclonic seizures.
What are the 3 main phases of a seizure?
Seizures take on many different forms and have a beginning (prodrome and aura), middle (ictal) and end (post-ictal) stage .
What is a common side effect of anticonvulsants?
In addition to the common side effects of antiepileptic drugs, like dizziness, drowsiness, and mental slowing ; other side effects like weight gain, metabolic acidosis, nephrolithiasis, angle closure glaucoma, skin rash, hepatotoxicity, colitis, and movement and behavioral disorders, to name a few, have been brought to ...
What are the three most common anticonvulsant medication?
The remaining 27.7 percent of anticonvulsant medications are prescribed by a variety of specialties with no one group accounting for more than five percent. The top three agents prescribed by psychiatrists are clonazepam, lamotrigine, divalproex .
What do you mean by anticonvulsant?
Listen to pronunciation. (AN-tee-kun-VUL-sunt) A drug or other substance used to prevent or stop seizures or convulsions . Also called antiepileptic.
What are the first signs of a seizure?
- Staring.
- Jerking movements of the arms and legs.
- Stiffening of the body.
- Loss of consciousness.
- Breathing problems or stopping breathing.
- Loss of bowel or bladder control.
- Falling suddenly for no apparent reason, especially when associated with loss of consciousness.
What is the most common type of seizure?
The most common type of seizure is the complex partial seizure . This is a seizure that begins in one part of the brain and then spreads to other regions of the brain.
What can trigger a seizure?
Triggers can differ from person to person, but common triggers include tiredness and lack of sleep, stress, alcohol , and not taking medication. For some people, if they know what triggers their seizures, they may be able to avoid these triggers and so lessen the chances of having a seizure.
Is it OK to sleep after a seizure?
After the seizure: they may feel tired and want to sleep . It might be helpful to remind them where they are. stay with them until they recover and can safely return to what they had been doing before.
What is the time after a seizure called?
Not everyone has an aura. The middle of a seizure is often called the ictal phase. This correlates with the electrical seizure activity in the brain. As the seizure ends, the postictal phase occurs – this is the recovery period after the seizure.
What are the stages of convulsion?
In addition to these categorizations, there are four distinct phases of seizures: prodromal, early ictal (the “aura”), ictal, and post-ictal.
What are the most common side effects of AEDs?
- drowsiness.
- a lack of energy.
- agitation.
- headaches.
- uncontrollable shaking (tremor)
- hair loss or unwanted hair growth.
- swollen gums.
- rashes – contact your GP or specialist if you get a rash, as it might mean you’re having a serious reaction to your medicine.
Why do anticonvulsants cause weight gain?
Potential mechanisms of anticonvulsant-associated bodyweight gain are not yet clear and differ between drugs used. The involvement of lowered blood glucose level , which may stimulate eating through an effect on the hypothalamus, constitutes one of the possible mechanisms.
