engleski

Epilepsy in the elderly-etiology and challenge of the therapy

To give an overview of the epidemiological data and pharmacological management of epilepsy in the elderly. We retrospectively analyzed data of patients with epilepsy admitted to our Department during the year 2001. Study included 246 patients. Forty-three were older than 65 (17, 4%) ; 20 M (62, 5%), i2 F (37, 5%). Thirty-two had newly diagnosed epilepsy. Etiology of the seizures was: cerebrovascular disease in 22 (68, 8%), trauma in 4 (12, 5%), primary tumor in 3 (9, 4%) and metastasis in 3 patients (9, 4). Initial AED was phenytoin in 15 (46, 9%), carbamazepine in 14 (43, 7510), carbamazepine plus phenytoin in 2 (6, 25%), valproic acid in 1 (3, 1%), diazepam in 3 (9, 4%) and oxasepam in 2 patients (6, 25%). Later in follow-up lamotrigin was introduced as add-on therapy in 4 patients and topiramat in 1 patient. The cerebovascular disease are the most common cause of the new-onset seizures in elderly. Pharmacological treatment is complicated by age-related changes i.n pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and drug-drug and drug-disease interactions.

epilpesy; elderly; therapy

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