The treatment process and steps are one of the most important factors affecting the prognosis of epilepsy, and the treatment process and steps vary from person to person. Developing the most suitable treatment plan and process for each patient is the difficult part of epilepsy treatment.
I. Deciding when to start treatment
Treatment needs to be preceded by a careful assessment of the patient’s risk-benefit and a combination of patient or family input. In most cases, treatment needs to be started in the absence of stimuli and in the presence of at least two seizures (>24 hours between seizures); treatment is also needed if there is a single seizure but the risk of recurrence is high.
Choose the most appropriate treatment method
Choose the treatment that best controls the epilepsy with minimal adverse effects. Factors such as age, gender, the type of epilepsy the patient has, adverse effects, complications, contraindications, treatment modality, price, and the patient’s attitude toward seizure recurrence and adverse effects must be considered.
Third, when epilepsy is not controlled, the treatment plan needs to be revised
1. exclude patients who are noncompliant with treatment
2. reassessment of correct diagnosis and classification of epilepsy
3. patients with drug-refractory epilepsy may require early combination therapy, and attention needs to be paid to drug interactions during combination therapy
4. consideration of surgical treatment.
5. Evaluate comorbidities and intervene, balance the benefits and risks of treatment, and avoid overtreatment.
IV. Patient care during treatment
(A) Observation of the disease
1. Fully understand the characteristics of the patient’s seizure, such as the trigger, place, time of seizure, seizure aura, duration, etc.
2.Observation of the symptoms during seizure.
3.Observe the performance after the seizure. Only by presenting the details to the doctor can targeted treatment be given.
(II) Medication care
1.Supervise patients to take medication on time and in the right amount and accurately to prevent underdosing, omission and overdosing.
2. Do not change the medication and dosage casually, either increase or decrease the medication and change the variety of medication, all should be done under the guidance of a doctor.
3, should adhere to the medication, epilepsy completely control before gradually reduce the amount of drug discontinuation, avoid short-term or sudden discontinuation of drugs.
(iii) Life care
1, do not drink alcohol, including white wine, yellow wine, beer, homemade rice wine, homemade sweet wine, wine, foreign wine and other types of alcohol should not be consumed.
2.Sleep well and do not get tired.
3.Living a regular life, no great joy and sadness, no overeating.
4, food should be light, less or no stimulating food or drinks.
V. Management of patients without seizures
Gradual cessation of treatment may be considered 2 years after the cessation of seizures, but care is needed. Adverse effects of continued treatment, predictors of seizure recurrence, driving problems, and other daily living problems should be considered, as well as the views of the patient and family.