What causes epilepsy in the elderly?

Written by Tang Li Li
Neurology
Updated on September 11, 2024
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If a patient has no history of epilepsy but begins to experience epileptic seizures in old age, it is generally secondary epilepsy, also known as symptomatic epilepsy. All patients should have a clear cause, but with current diagnostic techniques, it is not always possible to find the cause. If the cause cannot be identified, it is called cryptogenic epilepsy. In such cases, it is generally necessary to improve diagnostic methods, such as cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cranial magnetic resonance angiography. The most common causes of epilepsy in the elderly are generally cerebrovascular disease, brain trauma, or encephalitis, and in some cases, brain tumors. Any disease that causes brain cell damage can potentially cause symptomatic epileptic seizures. If all imaging examinations fail to reveal any abnormalities, regular follow-ups are necessary to monitor for early-stage tumors that may not be detectable on imaging tests. Meanwhile, antiepileptic treatment should be administered, and routine blood tests, liver, and kidney functions should be regularly monitored.

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Written by Tang Bo
Neurology
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What precautions should epilepsy patients take?

Patients with epilepsy should pay attention to establishing regular daily routines and avoid staying up late. They should not participate in potentially dangerous activities such as climbing or swimming. Also, they should minimize consumption of stimulating beverages like cola, Sprite, Red Bull, and coffee. It is advisable to eat more vegetables and fruits and reduce the intake of spicy and stimulating foods. Maintaining a regular life schedule is important, and playing electronic devices or using mobile phones for extended periods should be avoided. All sorts of exciting situations can easily trigger an epileptic seizure, so it is crucial to eat regularly without becoming too hungry or too full. Moreover, taking anti-epileptic drugs regularly and following medical guidance from doctors at the hospital is necessary.

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Written by Liu Shi Xiang
Neurology
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Can mild epilepsy be treated?

Mild epilepsy is treatable. If the patient is experiencing their first seizure or if the seizures are infrequent, it’s generally appropriate to observe clinically and not rush to use anti-epileptic drugs. Such patients typically experience only very mild neurological symptoms during a seizure, such as limb weakness, numbness, or facial droop. However, if the patient's seizures occur frequently, it is necessary to control the symptoms with anti-epileptic medications, which often include drugs such as levetiracetam, gabapentin, sodium valproate, and lamotrigine. Patients with mild epilepsy should also work on strengthening their exercise routines, maintaining a calm mind, and getting sufficient sleep to help prevent seizures to a certain extent. If the patient's condition worsens or becomes intractable epilepsy, surgical treatment methods may be considered to control the symptoms.

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Written by Liu Shi Xiang
Neurology
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What causes epilepsy?

The causes of epilepsy mainly include some congenital factors, such as pathological changes during pregnancy or childbirth, which can lead to the occurrence of epilepsy in children. In adults, epilepsy is generally secondary to severe head trauma, cerebrovascular disease, intracranial tumors, encephalitis, etc. Therefore, for patients with epilepsy, it is first necessary to actively remove various inducements and then to treat according to the type of epileptic seizures. Epilepsy mainly includes generalized seizures and partial seizures. Patients with generalized epileptic seizures can take medications such as sodium valproate and diazepam for treatment. Patients with partial epileptic seizures can take medications such as carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, gabapentin, and levetiracetam for treatment. Generally, the symptoms of epilepsy can be effectively controlled after patients follow a standardized medication treatment regimen.

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Neurology
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How is epilepsy treated?

Epilepsy treatment can be divided into the following aspects: First is etiological treatment. If epilepsy is caused by tumors or cerebrovascular diseases, surgical removal of the lesion can relieve epilepsy, but seizures often still occur, so medication must not be stopped. Secondly, pharmacological treatment is necessary for epilepsy induced by unclear causes or genetic metabolic diseases. Treatment involves taking and adjusting medications under medical guidance, based on different types of seizures and individual patient circumstances. Additionally, for some cases where the cause cannot be clearly identified and no epileptic foci are found, functional surgery can be performed for treatment.

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What are the clinical manifestations of epilepsy?

Epilepsy is caused by abnormal discharges of brain cells, and the symptoms and clinical manifestations vary depending on the area of discharge. Main symptoms can include sudden loss of consciousness, rigidity followed by clonic convulsions, and may also involve cyanosis or purpling of the face, tongue biting, frothing at the mouth, urinary incontinence, dilated pupils, continuing for several seconds to minutes before stopping. This condition is called a generalized tonic-clonic seizure. Some patients may also experience sudden brief loss of consciousness and interruption of ongoing actions, with a blank stare and unresponsive to calls. They may perform simple automatic actions like swallowing or chewing. Generally, there is no falling, and the patient has no memory of the episode afterwards. This type of seizure is known as an absence seizure. Additionally, some may experience rigidity and clonic convulsions in one limb or a localized area, etc.