Epilepsy Disease Summary

Overview

Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain characterized by an enduring predisposition to generate epileptic seizures and by the neurobiologic, cognitive, psychological and social consequences of this condition, as stated in the Introduction section.

In the United States, an estimated 150,000 adults annually present with an unprovoked first seizure. A detailed discussion about the prevalence of epilepsy is in the Epidemiology section.

The etiologies of epilepsy include structural, genetic, infectious, metabolic, immune, neurodegenerative, and unknown. Discussion on these etiologies is in the Etiology section.

The Pathophysiology section states that an epileptic seizure represents a disruption in the normal balance between excitatory and inhibitory currents or neurotransmission in the brain. The development process of epilepsy is in this section.

The Risk Factors section enumerates the factors that increase the likelihood of epilepsy.

Epilepsy_Disease Summary

History and Physical Examination

The Clinical Presentation section describes the clinical symptoms of epilepsy during seizure. The History and Physical Examination sections emphasize the importance of history taking and detection of signs and symptoms associated with epilepsy.

Diagnosis

The Diagnosis and Diagnostic Criteria section discuss the importance of knowing the description of the seizure from the patients and witnesses, triggering factors, seizure types, epilepsy types, and epilepsy and electroclinical syndrome in the management of epilepsy.

The Laboratory Tests and Ancillaries section discusses the use of blood and urine tests, as well as lumbar puncture, in determining the cause of seizures.  

The Imaging section explains in detail electroencephalogram (EEG) and brain imaging as a part of the neurodiagnostic evaluation of patients presenting with seizures.

Other conditions that should be ruled out in the diagnosis of epilepsy are listed in the Differential Diagnosis section.

Management

Patients experiencing a single seizure and the decision to treat are in the Evaluation section.

The Pharmacological Therapy section discusses in detail the symptomatic therapy depending on the seizure type in patients diagnosed with seizures.

Surgery, palliative procedures, laser interstitial thermal therapy, radiosurgery, and neurostimulation device implantations as treatment options for epileptic patients are in the Surgery section.

The Monitoring section explains treatment maintenance in the management of patients with seizures.