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What is an anticonvulsant?
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| What is an anticonvulsant? |
What is an anticonvulsant? The term anticonvulsant has two different meanings in medicine. It can refer to any drug that is capable of preventing or stopping convulsions (seizures) in the body, or it can refer to medications used specifically in the treatment of epilepsy.
A substance with anticonvulsant properties is a substance that can be used in the treatment of a seizure or a syndrome of seizures. It is a medication that stops or slows down the spread of a seizure in the brain. Anticonvulsants are used to treat epilepsy, and they have been for hundreds of years.
The first anticonvulsants were discovered by accident when patients being treated for other conditions began experiencing unexpected results in terms of their seizures.
An anticonvulsant is any of a number of drugs that are used to prevent the occurrence of seizures. They are also sometimes used to treat epilepsy, but they are ineffective for this purpose in some cases.
Anticonvulsants are usually grouped by their chemical structure. Many anticonvulsants work by decreasing abnormal nerve firing, suppressing excessive excitability in an area of the brain, or blocking the spread of an abnormal cellular excitation throughout the body.
Anticonvulsants (also called antiepileptic agents or antiepileptics) are a diverse group of pharmacological agents used in the treatment of epileptic seizures. Anticonvulsants suppress the abnormal and excessive activity of neurons during a seizure, preventing harmful impairment to the brain or other organs.
The term “anticonvulsant” is derived from the anticonvulsant medication, which was first coined by South African psychiatrist Louis Jacobsohn in 1895.[1] The word itself means “against convulsions.” An example of an anticonvulsant would be an anti-epileptic drug.
A group of drugs is used to prevent or control seizures. The term anticonvulsant is derived from the Greek words anti (against) and convulsion (seizure). Anticonvulsants work by inhibiting neuronal transmission in the brain.
The principal anticonvulsants are carbamazepine, ethosuximide, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone, and valproic acid. These drugs are usually effective in treating simple and complex partial seizures; however, the use of anticonvulsants is limited by their side effects. Different types of anticonvulsants are used to treat different types of seizures. Because seizures often occur as a result of head trauma or as a side effect of other disorders such as brain tumors, drug overdoses, and strokes, the main criteria for determining which drug to use in treating a particular seizure disorder are an effectiveness and safety.
Anticonvulsants are drugs that are used to treat epilepsy. They are also known as antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) or anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). The term anticonvulsant is specifically used for those that are effective against generalized seizures, whereas the term anti-epileptic is usually reserved for AEDs that are effective against partial seizures.
Two main types of anticonvulsant medications
- sedative/hypnotics
- non-sedative ones
The two main types of anticonvulsant medications are sedative/hypnotics and non-sedative ones. These include carbamazepine, valproic acid, gabapentin, lamotrigine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone and tiagabine.The third class of antiepileptic drugs called sulfa drugs or sulfonamides has been discredited by recent studies.
A drug that prevents or stops convulsions; anticonvulsants are used to treat epilepsy, as well as head injuries, brain tumors, and various other conditions. Anticonvulsant drugs are prescribed to prevent convulsions in persons with epilepsy. These agents may be administered before the onset of attack symptoms or they may be given continuously to suppress seizures. They can also be used to treat the symptoms of head injuries and brain tumors, as well as some mental disorders.
Anticonvulsant drugs include
- carbamazepine (Tegretol)
- phenytoin (Dilantin)
- phenobarbital, primidone (Mysoline)
- valproic acid (Depakene)
- gabapentin (Neurontin)
- lamotrigine (Lamictal)
- topiramate (Topamax)
- tiagabine (Gabitril)
- Preventing convulsions; antiepileptic.
- Of, relating to, or acting on the convulsions of the nervous system, especially by inhibiting them chemically.
- Preventing or controlling seizures, especially in epilepsy.
Anticonvulsants are used to prevent and control seizures in epilepsy and other conditions where there is an elevated risk of recurrent seizures, such as head injury, brain tumor, alcohol withdrawal, etc. They are also used to treat manic episodes associated with bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder if mood stabilizers fail to control symptoms. Anticonvulsants are different from anti-seizure medications in that they are not typically prescribed for people who have already had a seizure but rather for those who are at risk of having one. The two major classes of anticonvulsants are
Another name for Anticonvulsants?
Anticonvulsants (also called antiepileptic drugs or AEDs) are a diverse group of medications used primarily as an effective treatment for epilepsy. Anticonvulsants suppress the excessive and abnormal activity in the brain that leads to seizures. They do not cure epilepsy; rather they control it, often allowing the patient to reduce or eliminate the use of other medications.
They can also be used to treat neuropathic pain and spasms and for other uses, such as anxiety disorders and migraine prophylaxis.
What is an anticonvulsant?
An anticonvulsant is a drug that helps prevent convulsions (seizures) by reducing the spread of abnormal electrical impulses through the brain. There are many types of anticonvulsants, including:
Carbamazepine (Tegretol, Tegretol XR, Epitol, Carbamazepine CR)
Divalproex sodium (Depakote)
Gabapentin (Neurontin)
Lamotrigine (Lamictal) Levetiracetam (Keppra) Oxcarbazepine (Trileptal) Phenobarbital Phenytoin (Dilantin) Pregabalin (Lyrica) Primidone Topiramate Zonisamide. Anticonvulsants are medications used for the treatment of epilepsy. Anticonvulsants are also called anti-seizure medications, antiepileptic drugs, or AEDs.
More than 20 different anticonvulsants are currently marketed worldwide with approximately 10 more in development. Anticonvulsants are used to treat seizures and epilepsy. They do not cure epilepsy, but they help control seizures.
Some anticonvulsants are used only for seizures that start out as focal seizures (with or without secondary generalization). Others are used only for generalized tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizures. Some can be used for both.
Side effects of anticonvulsants
Side effects vary between anticonvulsants, but the most common side effect is drowsiness. Other common side effects include nausea, ataxia (difficulty walking), diplopia (double vision), nystagmus (involuntary eye movements), fatigue, headache, dizziness, skin rash, and insomnia. Very common side effects include tremor and weight gain; Severely decreased bone density may occur as well. Uncommon side effects include hyperactivity, restlessness, blood disorders (such as thrombocytopenia), osteoporosis, hirsutism (excessive facial hair in females), SIADH (syndrome of inappropriate ADH secretion), irritability, disturbance in attention/CNS excitability, and depression.
What Anticonvulsant is used for?
Anticonvulsant medications are used to treat epilepsy. The term “anticonvulsant” refers to the ability of these drugs to prevent convulsions (seizures). There are several different types of anticonvulsants, including carbamazepine, clonazepam, ethosuximide, gabapentin, lamotrigine, oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone, topiramate and valproic acid.
The medical term for an epileptic seizure is a “grand mal” seizure. The medical term for an epileptic seizure that does not involve convulsions is a “petit mal” seizure. These terms are used in describing the type of seizure experienced by patients with epilepsy.
Anticonvulsants are used to control epileptic seizures. An anticonvulsant is a drug that reduces the frequency of epileptic seizures. Anticonvulsants are different from antiepileptics which are used to treat epilepsy once it has been diagnosed.
Anticonvulsants are used for convulsive disorders where there is an increased tendency to have recurrent seizures or where there is insufficient control of the patient’s epilepsy despite the use of trials of two or more antiepileptic drugs.
Anticonvulsants are a diverse group of substances that have been used to treat seizure disorders for over a century. The first modern anticonvulsant was phenytoin, which became available in the 1940s. The term anticonvulsant means “against convulsions.” Anticonvulsants are thought to work by slowing excessive brain activity that may occur during a seizure.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved six anticonvulsants for use as first-line therapy in managing epilepsy: carbamazepine (Tegretol®), lamotrigine (Lamictal®), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal®), phenobarbital, phenytoin (Dilantin®), and valproic acid (Depakene®). In addition, felbamate is approved as second-line therapy for those who do not respond to other medications. The remaining three—topiramate (Topamax®), tiagabine (Gabitril®), and levetiracetam (Keppra)—are approved as adjunctive therapies or therapies that can be used in combination with an initial drug regimen to help control seizures. These adjunctive therapies can also reduce the dosage requirements of other anticonvulsants.
Anticonvulsants are used to treat epileptic seizures. They work by preventing the nerve cells in the brain from sending abnormal electrical signals. An anticonvulsant is a term for a drug that can prevent convulsions or seizures. There are many different types of anticonvulsants, and they are used to treat various kinds of seizures, including those associated with epilepsy.
Anticonvulsants include carbamazepine (Tegretol), gabapentin (Neurontin), lamotrigine (Lamictal), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), phenobarbital, phenytoin (Dilantin) and topiramate (Topamax). These medications have been shown to be helpful in preventing seizures in patients with epilepsy.
The most commonly used anticonvulsant drugs include carbamazepine, valproic acid, clonazepam and gabapentin. Anticonvulsants are used to treat epilepsy. Anticonvulsants are also used for the treatment of manic episodes associated with bipolar disorder, and for the prevention of migraines.
A drug that prevents, treats, or controls convulsions. Anticonvulsants are used in the treatment of epilepsy and certain types of seizure disorders. They are also prescribed for various types of nerve pain including trigeminal neuralgia, facial neuralgia, and cluster headaches. Anticonvulsants can be categorized by their mechanism of action (how they work).
These include:
- Side-effect profile: some anticonvulsants have a greater propensity to cause some side effects than do others.
- Mechanism of action: these compounds can be classified as:
- Treatment options: there are several different strategies for treating epilepsy with anticonvulsant medications.
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