Epilepsy: (What Do I Do Now)

Part of the "What Do I Do Now?" series, Epilepsy (Second Edition) serves as an easy-to-use reference guide for anyone working with epilepsy patients. This book offers a case-based approach to give a holistic look at concepts for understanding and treating epilepsy. These concepts range from initial diagnosis to determining treatment options to understanding the role of epilepsy in patients' day-to-day life. Topics represent common clinical scenarios and frequent areas assessed in standardized examinations. The book includes 33 case studies and is broken up into four parts: Section 1: Diagnostic Dilemmas; Section 2: Treatment Considerations: Antiseizure Medications; Section 3: Treatment Considerations: Diagnosis and Management of Refractory Epilepsy; and Section 4: Prognostic, Neuropsychiatric, Social, and Behavioral Issues. Each case study provides a discussion of the diagnosis, key points to remember, and selected references for further reading. In this new edition, all cases and references have been updated, reflecting the advances in pharmacological treatment and understanding of epilepsy in the past ten years. Engaging and succinct, Epilepsy, Second Edition, is an essential resource for clinicians and students at any stage in their career.

Table of Contents:
Section 1: Diagnostic Dilemmas 1. First Unprovoked SeizureDLIs It Epilepsy? 2. Febrile Seizures and Other Seizures in Infants 3. Self-Limited Focal Epilepsies of Childhood 4. Nonconvulsive Seizures in Acutely Ill Patients 5. Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures 6. Seizures Versus Parasomnias 7. Seizure Versus Syncope Section 2: Treatment ConsiderationsDLAntiseizure Medications (ASMs) 8. First Unprovoked SeizureDLWhen to Treat 9. Initial Treatment of Generalized Epilepsy 10. Initial Treatment of Focal Epilepsy 11. Status Epilepticus 12. Adverse Effects of Antiseizure MedicationsDLRash 13. Adverse Effects of Antiseizure MedicationsDLIdiosyncratic Reactions 14. Adverse Effects of Antiseizure MedicationsDLBone Health 15. Toxicity and Therapeutic Monitoring of Antiseizure Medications 16. Generic Antiseizure Medication Substitutions 17. Withdrawal of Antiseizure Medications 18. Drug-Drug Interactions: Antiseizure Medications 19. Drug-Drug Interactions: Other Medications 20. Antiseizure Medication Safety: Pregnancy and Breastfeeding 21. Treatment of Epilepsy in the Elderly Section 3: Treatment ConsiderationsDLDiagnosis and Management of Refractory Epilepsy 22. Refractory Epilepsy: General Approach 23. Refractory Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy 24. Refractory Focal Epilepsy 25. Epilepsy Surgery 26. Neurostimulation for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy Section 4: Prognostic, Neuropsychiatric, Social, and Behavioral Issues 27. Epilepsy and Mood Disorders 28. Psychosis and Seizures 29. Cognitive and Behavioral Issues 30. Sleep Disturbances in Epilepsy 31. Epilepsy and Fertility 32. Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) 33. Impact of Epilepsy on Work, Driving, and Other Activities

About the Author :
Dr. Patricia Dugan MD earned her medical degree at the University of the East, Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center in Manila, Philippines. She completed her training in Neurology at Saint Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center - New York Medical College, followed by fellowships in Clinical Neurophysiology-EEG and Epilepsy Research at New York University. She is currently a Professor of Neurology (Clinical) at the NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center where she also serves as the Director of the Adult Epilepsy Service and the Director of the Epilepsy Fellowship Program. Dr. Manisha Holmes MD, FAES completed medical school at Rush University in Chicago, IL followed by Neurology residency and fellowships in Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology at Columbia University Medical Center. She then served as an attending and director of the Epilepsy Consult and ICU EEG services at New York University Langone. She is now Section Chief of Epilepsy and Associate Professor of Neurology at Westchester Medical Center Health Network and New York Medical College, where she also serves as the Medical Director of the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. Dr. Chad Carlson MD completed his medical degree at the University of Wisconsin - Madison School of Medicine and Public Health. He completed his Neurology training at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics followed by fellowship in Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology at the New York University Comprehensive Epilepsy Center. He is Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurology at the Medical College of Wisconsin where he served as Program Director for the Adult Neurology Residency Program as well as both the Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowships. He is the Co-Director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin.