Current possibilities for the treatment of patients with epilepsy.

Overview

Epilepsies and epileptic syndromes are the third most common chronic neurological disease. There are more than 100 000 people suffering from this disease in the Czech Republic. Epileptological diagnosis and therapy have significantly improved. With correct management, 70–80 % of patients can be seizure free and live without limitations. Cooperation between practitioners and neurologists is vital for good management of disease. Patients who visit general practitioners with suspicion of epilepsy can be divided into 3 groups:

a) epilepsy is suspected,

b) newly diagnosed epilepsy,

c) chronic disease lasting more than one year.

The article describes the basic epileptological terminology, the system of epilepsy care in the Czech Republic and the diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities in these groups of patients.

Key words:
epilepsy, epileptic seizure, epileptic syndrome, antiepileptics.