title: Sustained Medication Reduction Following Unilateral VIM Thalamic Stimulation for Essential Tremor.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an increasingly utilized therapeutic modality for the management of medication refractory essential tremor (ET). The aim of this study was to determine whether DBS allowed for anti-tremor medication reduction within the year after the procedure was performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective chart review and telephone interviews on 34 consecutive patients who had been diagnosed with ET, and who had undergone unilateral DBS surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 34 patients in our cohort, 31 patients (91%) completely stopped all anti-tremor medications either before surgery (21 patients, 62%) or in the year following DBS surgery (10 patients, 29%). Patients who discontinued tremor medications before DBS surgery did so because their tremors either became refractory to anti-tremor medication, or they developed adverse events to tremor medications. Patients who stopped tremor medications after DBS surgery did so due to sufficient tremor control. Only three patients (9%) who were taking tremor medications at the time of surgery continued the use of a beta-blocker post-operatively for the purpose of hypertension management in all cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data from this study indicate that medication cessation is common following unilateral DBS for ET.
authors: Department of Neurology, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center, Tampa, Florida, United States of America ; UF Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America.
authors: Andrew S
authors: AS
authors: Resnick
authors: Michael S
authors: MS
authors: Okun
authors: Teresita
authors: T
authors: Malapira
authors: Donald
authors: D
authors: Smith
authors: Fernando L
authors: FL
authors: Vale
authors: Kelly
authors: K
authors: Sullivan
authors: Amber
authors: A
authors: Miller
authors: Israt
authors: I
authors: Jahan
authors: Theresa
authors: T
authors: Zesiewicz
keywords: Essential tremor; adverse events; deep brain stimulation; medications