Depression in patients receiving pharmacotherapy for epilepsy

Abstract

The word epilepsy is derived from Greek words meaning “to seize upon” or a “taking hold of.” Our predecessors referred to it as the “falling sickness” or the “falling evil.” The operational revised 2014 definition of epilepsy by the International League Against Epilepsy is 1. At least 2 unprovoked (or reflex) seizures occurring greater than 24 hours apart. 2. One unprovoked (or reflex) seizure and a probability of further seizures similar to the general recurrence risk (at least 60%) after 2 unprovoked seizures, occurring over the next 10 years. 3. Diagnosis of an epilepsy syndrome. A seizure is defined as a transient change in the clinical state of the patient due to excessive neuronal firing or depolarization. Seizures can be provoked or unprovoked A seizure can have motor, sensory, psychic, or autonomic manifestations or a combination of these. Globally, an estimated 2.4 million people are diagnosed with epilepsy each year According to a recent study, 70 million people have epilepsy worldwide and nearly 90% of them are found in developing regions