[Epilepsy from seizure to care].
Epilepsy is very common. The prevalence in the Netherlands is 5:1000 inhabitants. The diagnosis is mostly made on clinical grounds and often incorrectly. If there are doubts about the diagnosis, the patient can be referred to a specialised centre for a seizure registration with an EEG and video recording. The disorder generally responds well to treatment with anti-epileptics. Some 60-70% of patients treated with these remain free of seizures. If medicinal treatment fails then a surgical intervention can be considered. For patients with temporal epilepsy in particular, there is quite a high chance that a surgical intervention will resolve the symptoms. Where it proves difficult to satisfactorily adjust the medication of a patient, stimulation of the left vagus nerve can be considered. Paying more attention to the side effects of the medication and the limitations imposed on the patients can reduce the negative influence of epilepsy on the quality of life.
van Donselaar
Cees A
CA
Maasstad Ziekenhuis, afd. Neurologie, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. donselaarc@maasstadziekenhuis.nl
Carpay
J A Hans
JA
D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D015995:Prevalence; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055536:Vagus Nerve Stimulation; D014741:Video Recording
D000927:Anticonvulsants