[Reducing and stopping treatment].
It is nowadays well-established that a large number of patients with epilepsy can experience a full remission of their condition. In some cases, seizures that were resistant at the onset of the disease may become responsive to therapy over the years. A good knowledge of the classification of epilepsies and epileptic syndromes may give important clues to the overall prognosis of particular epilepsy case. In subjects controlled by therapy, a slow and careful discontinuance of drugs may be initiated after a 2-year seizure-free period. If seizures recur, it will most probably be possible to return to full control with a lesser treatment. Even if seizures fail to be totally controlled and therapy cannot be discontinued, it is often possible to reduce polypharmacy and thus lessen unwanted side-effects.
Centre Saint-Paul, Marseille.
J
J
Roger
R
R
Guerrini
P
P
Genton
D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis
D000927:Anticonvulsants
Réduction et arrêt du traitement.