PHARMACOLOGICAL AND DIETARY THERAPIES IN EPILEPSY - CONVENTIONAL TREATMENTS AND RECENT ADVANCES

A number of treatment options are currently available for the medical management of epilepsy. Conventional antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) includ e phenytoin, carbamazepine, valproic acid, ethosuximide, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines. Although these drugs control seizures, they may also cause blood dyscrasias, sedation, and cognitive impairment. Felba mate, gabapentin, lamotrigine, and vigabatrin are new AEDs believed to cause fewer side effects than conventional medications. Felbamate, ho wever, has been linked with substantially increased incidence of aplas tic anemia, and the other new AEDs have been studied for relatively sh ort periods of time. Ketogenic diets, comprised of foods high in fat a nd low in protein and carbohydrate content, have been reported to impr ove seizure control. However, these diets are widely acknowledged to b e unpalatable, making sustained compliance with dietary restrictions d ifficult. To promote long-term control of seizures, physicians must co nsider the side effects of therapeutic interventions for epilepsy, as well as their anticonvulsant efficacy.