Goodman & Gilman's Pharmacology > III. Drugs Acting on the Central Nervous System > Chapter 19. Pharmacotherapy of the Epilepsies James O. McNamara

Pharmacotherapy of the Epilepsies: Introduction

"The epilepsies are common and frequently devastating disorders, affecting approximately 2.5 million people in the United States alone. More than 40 distinct forms of epilepsy have been identified. Epileptic seizures often cause transient impairment of consciousness, leaving the individual at risk of bodily harm and often interfering with education and employment. Therapy is symptomatic in that available drugs inhibit seizures, but neither effective prophylaxis nor cure is available. Compliance with medication is a major problem because of the need for long-term therapy together with unwanted effects of many drugs...."