Learn About Epilepsy

About Epilepsy^®

Epilepsy affects the nervous system, which makes it a neurological disorder. Epilepsy is traditionally defined as two or more seizures that are not caused by a known medical condition, such as alcohol withdrawal or low blood sugar.

Epilepsy can affect any person of any age group. In the last five years, 2.5 million Americans have sought treatment for epilepsy.

Epileptic seizures occur when the electrical activity in the brain becomes disorganized. Seizures can interfere with movement, speech, and thought and can vary widely from person to person and from seizure to seizure, ranging from mild to life-threatening. Sometimes epilepsy is caused by head trauma (such as a car accident) or by the onset of other brain disorders, such as a stroke or Alzheimer's disease. Fifty percent of epilepsy patients, however, have no known cause for their condition.

Seizure-controlling medications (called antiepileptic or anticonvulsant drugs) are the primary means of controlling epilepsy, although surgery, diet, and electrical stimulation are also sometimes used. The optimal goal of treatment is to stop seizures with a minimal amount of side effects.

Newer and more effective medications are becoming available in the fight to control epilepsy, and Ortho-McNeil Neurologics is proud to contribute to this effort.