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Epilepsy - Management
Overview of management
- Refer people with suspected epilepsy for specialist assessment within 14 days.
- For people having a seizure:
- Take steps to prevent injury, and
- Give diazepam or midazolam for tonic–clonic seizures if they are prolonged or recurrent, and
- Consider hospital admission.
- Arrange a routine review of all people with epilepsy at least once a year to assess and manage:
- Seizure control and adverse effects of treatment.
- Social or psychological issues relating to the epilepsy.
- Carers skills in managing seizures.
- Their information needs.
- Ensure women receiving antiepileptic drugs are well informed about:
- Contraception, and
- The risks associated with pregnancy and epilepsy.
- Ensure women who are planning pregnancy are:
- Reviewed by an epilepsy specialist, to discuss the benefits and risks of adjusting treatment before conception.
- Prescribed folic acid 5 mg daily.
- Ensure women who are pregnant are referred urgently for specialist review (if they have not previously been seen), to consider treatment alteration to reduce the fetal risk from antiepileptic drug exposure.
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