title: Modern treatment strategies for patients with epilepsy: a review.
abstract: Of patients who develop epilepsy 70-80% will become seizure free, the remaining 20% are the most difficult to treat satisfactorily. Eighty per cent of patients are best treated with a single drug. Stepwise treatment plans for the treatment of newly diagnosed patients and for the evaluation of patients with chronic epilepsy are suggested. There is a lack of consensus regarding the rate at which to taper antiepileptic drugs being discontinued in patients with active epilepsy. There are arguments for making drug changes rapidly; these arguments and strategies for managing the withdrawal of individual drugs are presented.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Duncan
mesh_terms: D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants