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The Therapeutic Options in Childhood Epilepsy: From Pharmace | 46454

神経学および神経生理学ジャーナル

ISSN - 2155-9562

概要

The Therapeutic Options in Childhood Epilepsy: From Pharmaceuticals to Nutraceuticals

Samuel N Uwaezuoke

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders of childhood. Treatment of epileptic seizures is governed by weighing the benefit- risk of using anti-epileptic drugs. An important limitation of their use is that, in at least one third of patients, seizures are resistant to the available older and new-generation anti-epileptic drugs. This challenge makes the non-pharmacologic mode of treatment an attractive option. With the global demonstration of the therapeutic benefits of the ketogenic diet signaling a possible paradigm shift, evaluating its risk profile will help to establish its benefit-risk ratio. Multifaceted side effects of the diet have been reported in several studies but have not precluded its use. To promote its world-wide acceptability, its components should be modified to include locallyavailable food stuffs. The present review aims to highlight and compare the benefit-risk ratio of using anti-epileptic drugs and the ketogenic diet in the treatment of refractory childhood epilepsy.