Tag: Neurology

According to multiple meta-analyses, long-term use of carbamazepine is strongly associated with a significant reduction in vitamin D and calcium levels, affecting bone health. Navigating what vitamins can you take with carbamazepine requires careful consideration to manage these depletions and avoid potentially harmful interactions.

Immediately giving aspirin after a stroke can have fatal consequences if the stroke is hemorrhagic rather than ischemic. Medical professionals must first use diagnostic imaging to determine the correct stroke type before any antiplatelet medication, including aspirin, is administered. This critical distinction is based on the opposing pharmacological goals for treating these two conditions.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, prescription opioid pain relievers are generally safe when taken for a short time and as prescribed by a doctor. However, this article asks: **Does pain medication affect the brain?** The answer is a resounding yes, though the effects vary significantly by medication type and duration of use.

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a devastating condition with a 1-month mortality rate of 10–40%. Effective pharmacological interventions are crucial, in addition to surgical or endovascular repair, to effectively treat aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and its cascade of secondary complications. These treatment strategies focus on stabilizing the patient, securing the ruptured aneurysm, and preventing or managing complications like delayed cerebral ischemia and hydrocephalus.

While seizures are often associated with epilepsy, they can also be an adverse effect of many different drugs, with retrospective analyses showing drug-induced seizures occur in 0.8% to 1.7% of clinical populations. This article explores what medication can trigger a seizure, discussing the different classes of drugs, underlying mechanisms, and key risk factors.

According to a prospective study in pediatric patients with epilepsy, risperidone did not affect seizure frequency in 94.5% of cases. However, the product labeling advises caution for patients with a history of seizures, which raises the critical question: is risperidone safe in epilepsy?. This concern arises because some psychotropic medications can lower the seizure threshold.

Over 7 out of 10 people with epilepsy can have their seizures controlled with medication, but managing side effects is a crucial part of treatment. The key is working with your healthcare team to find the right balance between effective seizure control and minimizing discomfort, as the severity and type of side effects can vary widely among individuals and medications. This guide covers what are common side effects of epilepsy medication, how they differ between newer and older drugs, and strategies for coping with them.

Antiepileptic drugs can prevent seizures in approximately 70% of people with epilepsy. These medications provide crucial symptomatic control, and a range of additional benefits of antiepileptic drugs extend far beyond their primary purpose by modulating nerve activity in the brain.

Over 5% of all cases of status epilepticus—a dangerous, prolonged seizure—are caused by a drug or poison, highlighting the significant link between substances and seizure activity. This guide explores **what drugs can trigger epilepsy** and seizures, and the factors that increase a person's risk.

Brain injuries, specifically traumatic brain injuries (TBI), account for over 2.5 million emergency department visits annually in the United States. Understanding what is the best medication for brain injury involves a complex, highly personalized approach that focuses on managing the specific symptoms and secondary effects rather than relying on a single 'best' cure.