What Medication Is Used For Epilepsy

Epilepsy Drugs to Treat Seizures

Medically Reviewed by Christopher Melinosky, MD on February 02, 2022

For 70% of patients with epilepsy, drugs can control seizures. Withal, they can't cure epilepsy, and most people will demand to continue taking medications.

An authentic diagnosis of the type of epilepsy (non just the type of seizure, because most seizure types occur in different types of epilepsy) a person has is very important in choosing the best handling. The type of medication prescribed will also depend on several factors specific to each patient, such every bit which side effects can be tolerated, other illnesses they may have, and which delivery method is acceptable.

Below is a list of some of the nearly common brand-name drugs currently used to treat epilepsy. Your md may adopt that yous take the brand name of anticonvulsant and not the generic commutation. Talk with your md almost this important issue.

Brivaracetam (Briviact)

Approved for use as an improver treatment to other medications in treating partial onset seizures in patients historic period sixteen years and older.
Possible side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, nausea and vomiting.

Cannabidiol (Epidiolex)

Canonical in 2018 for treatment of severe or hard-to-treat seizures including those in patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome.
Common side effects include languor, sleepiness, fatigue, increased ambition, diarrhea and sleep disorders.

Carbamazepine (Carbatrol or Tegretol)

For fractional, generalized tonic-clonic and mixed seizures
Common agin effects include fatigue, vision changes, nausea, dizziness, rash.

Cenobamate (Xcopri)

For use in adults with partial onset seizures
Common side effects include insomnia, dizziness, fatigue, diplopia, and headache were most common in trials

Diazepam ( Valium) , lorazepam (Ativan) and similar benzodiazepine tranquilizers such as clonazepam ( Klonopin)

Constructive in short-term treatment of all seizures; used often in the emergency room to stop a seizure, particularly status epilepticus
Tolerance develops in nearly within a few weeks, so the same dose has less upshot over time.
Valium can exist given orally, as an injection, in an IV or every bit a rectal suppository.
Side effects include tiredness, unsteady walking, nausea, low, and loss of appetite. In children, they can crusade drooling and hyperactivity.

Eslicarbazepine (Aptiom)

This drug is a once-a-day medication used alone or in combination with other anti-seizure drugs to care for partial-onset seizures.
The nearly common side effects include dizziness, nausea, headache, airsickness, fatigue, vertigo, clutter, blurred vision, and tremor.

Ethosuximide (Zarontin)

Used to treat absence seizures
Agin furnishings include nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, and weight loss.

Felbamate (Felbatol)

Treats partial seizures alone and some fractional and generalized seizures in Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome; is used rarely and merely when no other medications take been constructive.
Side furnishings include decreased appetite, weight loss, inability to slumber, headache, and depression. Although rare, the drug may crusade bone marrow or liver failure. Therefore, the use of the drug is limited and patients taking it must take blood cell counts and liver tests regularly during therapy.

Fenfluramine (Fintepla)

Schedule Iv drug approved for treatment seizures in patients 2 and older who take Dravet syndrome.
Mutual side effects include lose of appetite, vomiting, lethargy, problems with coordination including standing or walking, increased blood pressure, drooling, diarrhea, constipatipation.

Lacosamide (VIMPAT)

This drug is approved to treat partial-onset seizures in adults with epilepsy.
VIMPAT can be used alone or with other drugs.
The drug comes as tablets, an oral solution, or injection.
Side effects include dizziness, headache, and nausea.

Lamotrigine (Lamictal)

Treats partial, some generalized seizures and mixed seizures.
Has few side effects, just rarely people report dizziness, indisposition, or the potentially deadly Stevens Johnson rash.

Levetiracetam (Keppra)

It is combined with other epilepsy drugs to treat partial seizures, primary generalized seizures and myoclonic (shock-like jerks of muscle) seizures.
Side furnishings include tiredness, weakness, and behavioral changes.

Oxcarbazepine (Oxtellar XR, Trileptal )

Used to care for partial seizures, it is a once-daily medicine used alone or with other medications to control seizures.
Common side effects include dizziness, sleepiness, headache, vomiting,double vision, and balance problems.

Perampanel (Fycompa)

The drug is approved to treat partial onset seizures and primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures in those age 12 and older.
The label carries a alarm of potential serious events including irritability, aggression, anger, anxiety, paranoia, euphoric mood, agitation, and changes in mental status.

Phenobarbitol

Oldest epilepsy medicine yet in utilise. It is used to treat nigh forms of seizures and is known for its effectiveness and depression cost.
Side effects can be sleepiness or changes in behavior.

Phenytoin (Dilantin)

Controls fractional seizures and generalized tonic-clonic seizures; also can be given by vein (intravenously) in the hospital to rapidly command agile seizures, although if the drug is beingness delivered by IV, fosphenytoin (Cerebyx) is commonly used.
Side effects include dizziness, fatigue, slurred speech, acne, rash, gum thickening, and increased hair (hirsutism). Over the long term, the drug tin can cause bone thinning.

Pregabalin (Lyrica)

Used with other epilepsy drugs to treat partial seizures, but is used more than frequently to treat neuropathic pain.
Side effects include dizziness, sleepiness (somnolence), dry mouth, peripheral edema, blurred vision, weight gain, and difficulty with concentration/attention.

Tiagabine (Gabitril)

Used with other epilepsy drugs to treat partial seizures with or without generalized seizures
Common side effects include dizziness, fatigue, weakness, irritability, anxiety, and defoliation.

Topiramate (Topamax)

Used with other drugs to care for partial or generalized tonic-clonic seizures. It is too used with absenteeism seizures.
Side effects include sleepiness, dizziness, speech issues, nervousness, memory problems, visions bug, weight loss.

Valproate, valproic acid (Depakene, Depakote)

Used to care for partial, absence, and generalized tonic-clonic seizures
Common side furnishings include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, tremor, pilus loss, weight proceeds, low in adults, irritability in children, reduced attention, a decrease in thinking speed. Over the long term, the drug tin can cause bone thinning, swelling of the ankles, irregular menstrual periods. More than rare and dangerous effects include hearing loss, liver damage, decreased platelets (clotting cells), and pancreas bug.
Should not exist taken if meaning.

Zonisamide (Zonegran )

Used with other drugs to treat fractional, generalized and myoclonic seizures
Agin furnishings include drowsiness, dizziness, unsteady gait, kidney stones, abdominal discomfort, headache, and rash.

Other drugs used for seizures include clobazam (Onfi), gabapentin (Neurontin), primidone (Mysoline), rufinamide (Banzel), stiripentol (Diacomit), and vigabatrin (Sabril).

Epilepsy Drug Guidelines

Information technology may take several months earlier the all-time drug and dosage are determined for yous. During this adjustment menstruation, yous volition be carefully monitored through frequent blood tests to mensurate your response to the medication.

It is very important to keep your follow-up appointments with your medico and the lab to minimize your adventure for serious side effects and prevent complications.

When seizures proceed despite handling for epilepsy, it may exist because the episodes thought to be seizures are non-epileptic. In such cases, you should get a second opinion from a specialist and accept EEG-video monitoring and so the diagnosis tin be re-evaluated.

In specialized centers, about fifteen% to 20% of patients referred for persistent seizures that defy treatment ultimately prove to take non-epileptic weather condition.