What medicine should not be taken for epilepsy?

Written by Zhang Hui

Neurology

Updated on September 25, 2024

00:00

00:00

Patients with epilepsy mainly rely on some internal medicine drugs for treatment. There are many drugs available today, many of which can effectively control the occurrence of epilepsy and improve the quality of life of the patients. However, it is also important to note that some drugs should not be taken in reduced quantities,

Firstly, there are some drugs that affect the liver. Many drugs can impact the liver, and since many antiepileptic drugs are metabolized through the liver, combining them can increase the burden on the liver and even induce necrotic hepatitis,

Secondly, it is necessary to choose the medication according to the type of epileptic seizures. For example, if it is a visual seizure, or a myoclonic seizure, then one should not take Phenytoin sodium and Carbamazepine, as these two drugs can potentially exacerbate myoclonic and visual seizures,

Thirdly, patients with epilepsy should also avoid taking drugs that affect the metabolism of epilepsy medication. If used together, it can cause a reduction in the efficacy of the epilepsy drugs, easily triggering an epileptic attack, or even a prolonged state of epilepsy.

Other Voices

home-news-image

Written by Liu Shi Xiang

Neurology

58sec

home-news-image

Can mild epilepsy be treated?

Mild epilepsy is treatable. If the patient is experiencing their first seizure or if the seizures are infrequent, it’s generally appropriate to observe clinically and not rush to use anti-epileptic drugs. Such patients typically experience only very mild neurological symptoms during a seizure, such as limb weakness, numbness, or facial droop. However, if the patient's seizures occur frequently, it is necessary to control the symptoms with anti-epileptic medications, which often include drugs such as levetiracetam, gabapentin, sodium valproate, and lamotrigine. Patients with mild epilepsy should also work on strengthening their exercise routines, maintaining a calm mind, and getting sufficient sleep to help prevent seizures to a certain extent. If the patient's condition worsens or becomes intractable epilepsy, surgical treatment methods may be considered to control the symptoms.

home-news-image

Written by Tang Bo

Neurology

57sec

home-news-image

What precautions should epilepsy patients take?

Patients with epilepsy should pay attention to establishing regular daily routines and avoid staying up late. They should not participate in potentially dangerous activities such as climbing or swimming. Also, they should minimize consumption of stimulating beverages like cola, Sprite, Red Bull, and coffee. It is advisable to eat more vegetables and fruits and reduce the intake of spicy and stimulating foods. Maintaining a regular life schedule is important, and playing electronic devices or using mobile phones for extended periods should be avoided. All sorts of exciting situations can easily trigger an epileptic seizure, so it is crucial to eat regularly without becoming too hungry or too full. Moreover, taking anti-epileptic drugs regularly and following medical guidance from doctors at the hospital is necessary.

home-news-image

Written by Yuan Jun Li

Neurology

1min 19sec

home-news-image

Can acquired epilepsy be treated?

Acquired epilepsy can be treated. Most cases of acquired epilepsy are due to some organic lesions, also known clinically as secondary epilepsy, primarily treated by addressing the underlying disease. Common clinical conditions include brain organic lesions such as cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction, brain tumor, encephalitis, and brain parasitic infections. Systemic diseases like diabetes and hyperparathyroidism can also lead to epilepsy. If epilepsy persists or if there is a major epileptic seizure, it can lead to brain cell hypoxia and even brain edema in severe cases. When necessary, treatments to protect the brain and reduce intracranial pressure are required. Medications for brain protection include Cytidine Diphosphate Choline and Lacosamide, while drugs to lower blood pressure mainly include Mannitol, Glycerol Fructose, and Furosemide. Most patients potentially can be carefully cured through the treatment of the underlying disease, and if seizures persist after the treatment of the primary disease, antiepileptic drugs should be administered. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a physician.)

home-news-image

Written by Tang Bo

Neurology

1min 24sec

home-news-image

Is epilepsy easy to treat?

Epilepsy is a disease for which the cause can be identified in some patients, while in others it may remain unknown. Initially, it is important to investigate the cause of epilepsy. Moreover, if an individual experiences multiple seizures, medication intervention becomes necessary. The primary goal of drug treatment for epilepsy is to control it and prevent further seizures, since each seizure can cause brain cell damage, potentially leading to long-term effects like memory decline and slower reaction times. Therefore, active control of epilepsy through medication is crucial. Whether epilepsy can be completely cured depends on its underlying cause. In some cases, identifying and eliminating the cause may prevent further seizures. However, for some patients, even if the cause is identified, such as a past stroke or tumors that induce epilepsy, seizures may continue even after the tumor is removed. Meanwhile, for epilepsy of unknown origins, the approach is to control the condition using medication to minimize the occurrence of seizures as much as possible, though it is not guaranteed that seizures will not happen again in the future.

home-news-image

Written by Yan Xin Liang

Pediatrics

40sec

home-news-image

What are the symptoms of epilepsy in children?

The typical symptoms of childhood epilepsy include sudden loss of consciousness, followed initially by tonic and then clonic convulsions, often accompanied by screaming, cyanotic facial complexion, frothing or bleeding at the mouth, dilated pupils, generally lasting 40 seconds or up to 15 minutes. The convulsive seizure stops naturally, followed by a state of coma. Of course, some affected children also display varying degrees of consciousness disorders, evident disruptions in thinking, perception, emotion, and psychomotor functions, and may show signs of conditions like somnambulism and noctambulism, among other automatisms.