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Epilepsy

Description

Epilepsy is a chronic (long term) neurological (brain) disorder characterized by abnormal brain activity. This abnormal brain activity varies and can lead to periods of unconsciousness, seizures (sudden and uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain), unusual behavior, loss of sensation, and loss of awareness. Epileptic seizures (sudden and uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain) usually last for a few seconds and have different symptoms in different people.

Causes

Seizures occur when there is abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The exact cause is unknown but there are certain factors that are believed to contribute to the development of epilepsy.

Some common causes of epilepsy are:

  • Traumatic brain injury,
  • Impairment of a part of brain due to trauma,
  • Very high fever,
  • Systemic illness,
  • Stroke (blood supply to a part of brain is reduced or obstructed),
  • Cerebrovascular (vessels of the brain) disorders,
  • Ischemic (lack of oxygen) brain diseases,
  • Brain tumor,
  • Alzheimer’s (irreversible brain disorder affecting a person’s memory and ability to think),
  • Maternal drug use in case of infants,
  • Meningitis (inflammation of the meninges of brain),
  • Genes
Risk factors

Factors that cannot be changed are:

  • Previous history of head injury that might have caused injury to the brain
  • Stroke
  • Tumor of the brain
  • Developmental disabilities in children e.g. cerebral palsy or autism

Factors that can be changed are:

  • Exposure to toxins such as lead, carbon monoxide
  • High consumption of alcohol
  • Chronic stress
  • Certain medications
Symptoms
  • Uncontrollable jerking of muscles throughout the body
  • An individual may also experience aura: the sensation of a memory or smell, a strange feeling in the stomach or the tingling of a limb
  • Visual loss or blurring
  • Dazed and confused
  • Sleepiness
  • Depression
  • Headache
  • Loss of muscle tone
  • Labored breathing
Diagnosis

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, and he or she will most likely refer you to a neurologist (a medical specialist that deals with brain disorders). A neurologist will run lab tests e.g. blood tests, CT and MRI scans (to view the structures of the brain) and ECG (to determine electrical activity in the brain) to diagnose epilepsy.

Management
  • Certain medications may help in preventing further seizures.
  • The treatment is aimed at preventing seizures so the underlying cause of the seizure should be treated if it is known and treatable.
  • Treating coexisting anxiety and depression may also help in preventing seizures.
When to consult a doctor?

You are advised to consult a doctor if your seizures last for longer than 5 minutes, your breathing or consciousness doesn’t return after the seizure ends, two seizures occur one after the other, you have high fever for a prolonged period, you start experiencing heat exhaustion, you are pregnant, you are diabetic (raised blood sugar level), and if you got injured because of a seizure. 

Available Medicine for Epilepsy

Carbanil 100mg

Rs.48.11

Dosaco

Carbanil 200mg

Rs.33

Dosaco

Carbapin 200mg

Rs.33

Genome Pharma

Cazap 200mg

Rs.33

Usawa

Convul 200mg

Rs.0

Siza

Convul 400mg

Rs.0

Siza

Epicar 100mg

Rs.91.14

Adamjee Pharmaceuticals

Epicar 200mg

Rs.46.78

Adamjee Pharmaceuticals

Epigral 200mg

Rs.20

Medicraft

Epilepsin 100mg/5ml

Rs.45.32

Macter

Epilepsin 200mg

Rs.22.59

Macter

Epilex 100mg

Rs.75.72

Bryon

Epilex 200mg

Rs.51.62

Bryon

Episiez 200mg

Rs.15

Medicaids

Epitab XR 200mg

Rs.37.95

Werick

Epitab XR 400mg

Rs.70.15

Werick

Leptic 200mg

Rs.33

Bio Labs

Lexopine 200mg

Rs.18

Highnoon

Mazetol 200mg

Rs.22.2

Cibex

Mezapine 200mg

Rs.22

Valor

Mezine 200mg

Rs.33

Bloom Pharma

Sadmic 200mg

Rs.28

Zeb

Seizunil 100mg

Rs.120.5

Platinum

Seizunil 200mg

Rs.42.4

Platinum

Seizunil 400mg

Rs.32.75

Platinum

Tegral 100mg

Rs.81.62

Novartis

Tegram 200mg

Rs.28

Mediate

Teril 200mg

Rs.58.85

Martin Dow

Tegral 200mg

Rs.63.56

Novartis

Seizunil Tablet 200mg

Rs.147

Platinum

Carbatit 200mg

Rs.98.08

Titlis Pharma