title: Vagus nerve stimulation and the ketogenic diet.
abstract: Antiepileptic drugs are the primary form of treatment for patients with epilepsy. In the United States, hundreds of thousands of people do not achieve seizure control, or have significant side effects, or both. Only a minority of patients with intractable epilepsy are candidates for traditional epilepsy surgery. Vagus nerve stimulation is now the second most common treatment for epilepsy in the United States. Additionally, the ketogenic diet has established itself as a valid treatment. This article discusses the history, mechanism of action, patient selection, efficacy, initiation, complications, and advantages of vagus nerve stimulation and the ketogenic diet.
authors.affiliation: Neurology and Pediatrics, University of Texas-Houston, Texas Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, 77030, USA. james.w.wheless@uth.tmc.edu
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Wheless
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ghanbari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007657:Ketone Bodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D007657:Ketone Bodies