Treatment for Difficult-to-Control Epilepsy
According to study results published in a recent issue of the Journal
of the American Academy of Neurology, a specific combination of medicines
appears to be the best for resistant or hard-to-control epilepsy.
According to the study, over 30 different prescription drug combinations
were evaluated. Only one of the combinations produced a significant
reduction in the number of seizures for those with this difficult-to-control
type. That combination consisted of lamotrigine (Lamictal) and valproate
(Depacon). Researches associated with the study indicate that this combination
reduced seizure frequency by about half when compared with
the other combinations used in the study.
According to one report, more than 3 million Americans have epilepsy
and of that number, about one million have the form that is called
difficult-to-control. The Epilepsy Foundation defines the goal of epilepsy
treatment is to have no (zero) seizures with little or no drug side
effects. Health experts add that good seizure control is a seizure-fee period
of at least 12 consecutive months.