Seizure disorders in the elderly

Seizure disorders in the elderly

Seizure disorders become increasingly common after the age of 60 years and can have a significant impact on functional status. The goal of antiepileptic drug therapy is to control seizures but preserve quality of life. If possible, seizure control should be achieved with one agent given in the lowes...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American family physician Vol. 67; no. 2; pp. 325 - 332
Main Authors: Vélez, Lourdes, Selwa, Linda M
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States American Academy of Family Physicians 15-01-2003
Subjects:
Aged
Anticonvulsants - therapeutic use
Convulsions & seizures
Drug therapy
Electroencephalography
Epilepsy
Epilepsy - classification
Epilepsy - diagnosis
Epilepsy - drug therapy
Epilepsy - etiology
Humans
Older people
Primary care
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Summary:Seizure disorders become increasingly common after the age of 60 years and can have a significant impact on functional status. The goal of antiepileptic drug therapy is to control seizures but preserve quality of life. If possible, seizure control should be achieved with one agent given in the lowest effective dosage. Clinical response, rather than drug levels, should guide dosage changes. All antiepileptic drugs can cause dose-dependent sedation and cognitive impairment. Although the newer agents may have theoretical advantages over standard antiepileptic agents, higher cost may limit their use. Drugs for first-line monotherapy of seizures in elderly patients include carbamazepine, valproic acid, oxcarbazepine, gabapentin, and lamotrigine.
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ISSN:0002-838X