What are antiepileptics?

Antiepileptics, also known as anticonvulsants, are drugs used in the treatment of seizures. There are other names equally common and people can instead prefer the term anti-seizure drugs. These drugs generally come from a diverse environment, and although some were initially designed to treat seizures, they found significantly more use in a different way. For example, there are three or four antiepileptics mainly used as mood stabilizers and other sets of drugs that are often used as tranquilizers. Medicines such as Gabitril® prevent the body from using GABA surplus, neurotransmitter. It is assumed that this is partly effective in certain forms of seizures, although it may not be useful in all cases. A group of drugs called benzodiazepines, including medicines such as Valium®, Ativan® and Clonazepam, work to think that it has another GABA to work with, supports relaxation for a person who uses small doses and effective means to quickly stop seizures in many emergencyChildren.

Another group of antiepileptics is called sodium channel blockers and drugs in this group include carbamazepine (Tegretol®), Oxcarbazepine (Trileptel®) and Lamotrigine (Lamictal®). These affect nerve fibers or axons and prevent them from any activity and/or excessive activity. Such drugs include two of the four main drugs used in the treatment of bipolar disorders and are also very interesting and commonly prescribed for people with various seizure disorders.

Antiepileptics can work on other types of neurotransmitters. For example, Topamax® affects glutamate. Some of these drugs prevent the way they are processed by calcium. There are also other things that could be called antiepileptics, but they are not drugs. For example, a ketogenic diet is a high fat diet that has been able to successfully treat some forms of seizures, provided it is up toheld rigidly.

The diversity of antiepileptics causes discussion on side effects to be challenging. Each of these drugs can work differently and many of them are best used in specific situations. As with any available medicines, some side effects are expected, which could include: fatigue/drowsiness of drugs, reducing the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives, changes in thinking/focus, various stomach problems, changes in sleep samples, headaches or other pain and skin growth.

It is best to talk to doctors about every medicine, so the side effects are fully understood. This time, patients can use to discuss any other drugs that are taking or conditions to be a problem. Women taking antiepileptics and planning pregnancy must go through a very careful way. Many of these drugs can have adverse effects on the fetus, but can also seizures. Effort to control the disease without damage to the developing child must bet made by careful choice of drugs.