Can Treat Seizures, Here’s a List of the 7 Most Effective Epilepsy Drugs -Seizures due to epilepsy can be treated with medicines that can be purchased at pharmacies. Check out the following list of types of antiepileptic drugs.
Epilepsy or epilepsy is a chronic disease of the brain characterized by repeated seizures and even unconsciousness. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 50 million people worldwide experience this condition.
To treat this disease, doctors can prescribe antiepileptic drugs while looking for and treating the cause of epilepsy . However, if the cause is not yet known, administration of antiepileptic drugs must be continued while the doctor monitors the progress of the disease.
What are the commonly used epilepsy drugs ? Check out the following list:
1. Carbamazepine
Carbamazepine is a class of anticonvulsant (anticonvulsant) drugs that can treat seizures due to epilepsy.
This drug is available in capsule form and can be consumed 1-2 times a day. The dose is 100 mg and can be increased gradually to 200 mg every week.
After taking carbamazepine, do not immediately do activities that require high alertness, such as driving a vehicle or operating heavy equipment.
Please note that this drug can cause dizziness and drowsiness. Apart from that, avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight because carbamazepine can cause the skin to burn more easily.
2. Phenytoin
Phenytoin can prevent seizures by blocking the spread of electrical activity in the brain. This drug is available in tablet, capsule and injection form.
The initial dose of phenytoin is 100 mg and the maintenance dose is 100 mg.
This medicine can be taken 3-4 times a day according to doctor’s recommendations. In continued use, the doctor can reduce or increase the dose according to the body’s response to treatment.
Epilepsy or epilepsy patients need to take this drug on time to keep drug levels in the body constant over time.
Do not stop taking this medicine without consulting a doctor. If stopped suddenly, the condition of seizures or recurrence can be more severe.
3. Valproic Acid
Another epilepsy or epilepsy medication is valproic acid . This type of drug is usually prescribed by doctors to help treat seizures, especially if they are caused by epilepsy. This drug is effective for the treatment of partial epilepsy and can stop seizures.
To find out the dosage, you need to consult a doctor first because the medicine will be given according to the patient’s condition.
4. Lamotrigine
vcan be consumed as a drug for epilepsy. However, this drug must be consumed on doctor’s advice because the dosage varies for each person, depending on the condition of the disease.
For an estimated dose, around 50-100 mg during treatment and 200-400 mg during the maintenance period.
This drug is not recommended for children aged two years because it can increase the risk of side effects. Even during pregnancy, lamotrigine is only used when really needed because of the risk of harming the fetus.
5. Levetiracetam
Levetiracetam is an antiepileptic drug which is an additional therapy for partial seizures in adult epilepsy patients and children aged over four years.
Don’t forget to consult a doctor before taking this medicine to avoid side effects such as itching, difficulty breathing, and swelling of the face, lips, tongue and throat.
6. Gabapentin
Gabapentin is an epilepsy drug that can be used to control seizure symptoms. If taken regularly, this drug only functions to prevent seizures but does not cure epilepsy.
For children over 12 years of age, the dose can start from 300 mg and given three times a day.
7. Topiramate
Topiramate is an antiepileptic drug for cases of epilepsy with generalized or focal tonic-clonic seizures. Topiramate is also used in Lennox Gastaut syndrome.
The initial dose is 25 mg and consumed at night for one week. After that, the dose can be increased by 25–50 mg at intervals of 1–2 weeks.
For maintenance doses, 100 mg per day can be given and the maximum dose is 500 mg per day.
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Even though it is useful for treating seizures in epilepsy sufferers, some drugs that are taken incorrectly can cause serious side effects such as respiratory depression, Steven Johnson syndrome , and even liver damage.
Therefore, administering antiepileptic drugs, both single drugs and combinations, must be under the supervision of a doctor because the frequency and dosage will be very different for each person.
Still have questions about epilepsy treatment? Now you can consult a doctor online . Come on, use the Ask a Doctor feature in the KlikDokter application as a solution to #KeepYourHealthy.
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