Challenges in the Treatment of Epilepsy

Abstract

Epilepsy is one of the most important diseases of nervous system that involves 0.5-1% of the population. In spite of new developments in antiepileptic drugs, between 20-30% of epileptic patients can not be controlled and even those who are controlled with antiepileptic drugs suffer from their adverse events. Epileptic patients have different challenges in relation to the disease and its medications. This article has reviewed these challenges. The most common challenges are misdiagnosis of epilepsy or type of epilepsy resulting in wrong drug administration, noncompliance with antiepileptic drugs, adverse effects of antiepileptic drugs, drug resistance, non-pharmacological interventions and their limitations, photosensitivity, epilepsy problems in children and the elderly, pregnancy and epilepsy, driving and epilepsy and finally sudden death in epileptic patients.