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Causes, prevention, and treatment of post-traumatic epilepsy.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Temkin, NR; Haglund, MM; Winn, HR
Published in: New Horiz
August 1995

Post-traumatic seizures often occur after severe head injury. Acutely, these seizures complicate management of the head-injured patient by increasing intracranial pressure and causing postictal decreases in level of consciousness. In the long term, epilepsy can have a negative effect on the patient's functioning and integration into society. The more severe the head injury, the more likely that post-traumatic seizures will occur. The risk of late seizures exceeds 30% for patients with penetrating head injury, intracerebral hematoma, subdural hematoma, depressed skull fracture, or seizure within the first week after injury. Late post-traumatic seizures are treated the same as any epileptic seizures of the same type. Phenytoin and carbamazepine are effective in preventing seizures in the first week after head injury, but are not effective in preventing late seizures. Both additional antiepileptic drugs and neuroprotective agents that may lessen the damage that leads to seizures are being investigated to determine if they are effective in preventing the occurrence of post-traumatic epilepsy.

Duke Scholars

Published In

New Horiz

ISSN

1063-7389

Publication Date

August 1995

Volume

3

Issue

3

Start / End Page

518 / 522

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Time Factors
  • Risk Factors
  • Intracranial Pressure
  • Humans
  • Epilepsy, Post-Traumatic
  • Craniocerebral Trauma
  • Anticonvulsants
 

Citation

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MLA
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Temkin, N. R., Haglund, M. M., & Winn, H. R. (1995). Causes, prevention, and treatment of post-traumatic epilepsy. New Horiz, 3(3), 518–522.
Temkin, N. R., M. M. Haglund, and H. R. Winn. “Causes, prevention, and treatment of post-traumatic epilepsy.New Horiz 3, no. 3 (August 1995): 518–22.
Temkin NR, Haglund MM, Winn HR. Causes, prevention, and treatment of post-traumatic epilepsy. New Horiz. 1995 Aug;3(3):518–22.
Temkin, N. R., et al. “Causes, prevention, and treatment of post-traumatic epilepsy.New Horiz, vol. 3, no. 3, Aug. 1995, pp. 518–22.
Temkin NR, Haglund MM, Winn HR. Causes, prevention, and treatment of post-traumatic epilepsy. New Horiz. 1995 Aug;3(3):518–522.

Published In

New Horiz

ISSN

1063-7389

Publication Date

August 1995

Volume

3

Issue

3

Start / End Page

518 / 522

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Time Factors
  • Risk Factors
  • Intracranial Pressure
  • Humans
  • Epilepsy, Post-Traumatic
  • Craniocerebral Trauma
  • Anticonvulsants