The Impact of Pharmacoresistant Epilepsy

When seizures are uncontrolled for long periods, numerous sequelae affect the patient. Effectively treating pharmacoresistant cases is essential to avoiding many possible detrimental effects, including:

• Cognitive and memory impairment¹
• Neurotoxic adverse effects with long-term AED therapy¹
• Higher depression rates²
• Reduced lifetime income³
• Increased healthcare utilization⁴
• Increased mortality risk in patients with severe, intractable epilepsy⁵
• Accidental injuries, some resulting in death⁶

“Imperfect seizure control can produce disturbed psychosocial integration, which results, for example, in poor academic achievement, diminished self-esteem, dependent behavior, and a restricted lifestyle, all of which lead to an unsatisfactory, downward-spiraling quality of life.” These sequelae make up the “constellation of features” associated with pharmacoresistant epilepsy.1

Kwan and Brodie, 2002

¹Meador KJ. Neurology. 2002;58(suppl 5):S21-S26.
²Epilepsy Foundation. Epilepsy Behav. 2002;3:2-3.
³Van Ness PC. Arch Neurol. 2002;59:732-735.
⁴Griffiths RI, et al. Epilepsia. 1999;40:351-358.
⁵Lhatoo SD, et al. Postgrad Med J. 1999;75:706-709.
⁶Annegers JF, et al. Epilepsia. 1998;39:206-212.