Seniors often have repeated seizures before epilepsy diagnosis: study
Once on therapy, patients respond well, except there is concern about the effects of aspirin, researchers say
People who develop epilepsy at age 65 or later face a median delay of eight months before they are put on therapy, with some having up to 20 seizures before being prescribed drugs, researchers say.
Once on therapy most patients become seizure-free, although taking low-dose aspirin is associated with a more muted response, the Australian-led authors reported in Epilepsia.
The researchers analysed data from 201 Scottish seniors who were first prescribed therapy for new-onset epilepsy at a hospital clinic between 1982 and 2012, with follow-up to 2016.
Patients were 59% male, with a mean age at treatment initiation of 73 years, and all but one had focal epilepsy.
