Home | About Natural News | Contact Us | Write for Natural News
Search our 25,000 free articles and special reports

Epilepsy medication proving ineffective over time (press release)

Thursday, October 26, 2006 by: NaturalNews
Key concepts: Epilepsy, Medication and Doctors

Want stories like this e-mailed to you? Click here for free email alerts

Email this article to a friend Printable Version
Replace your toxic laundry detergent with natural laundry soap that grows on trees!
How to halt type-2 diabetes with nutritional therapy - over 50% cure rate proven in studies
How to treat and cure over 100 health conditions using little-known health secrets
How to blend nutritious meals in minutes with Adams' Superfood smoothie recipes (Delicious!)

Browse more health books...
Shop our eco-friendly products...

NaturalNews does not control the content of the ad you see above. It is chosen by Google.
A new critical review by Dr. Wolfgang Loscher and Dr. Dieter Schmidt shows that repeated administration of antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy has diminishing results in preventing seizures in epileptic patients. In clinical trials, the number of patients remaining seizure-free declines over time with prolonged treatment. This review explores how acquired tolerance, the adaptive response of the body to foreign substances, as opposed to innate tolerance (which occurs in patients naturally resistant to certain medications) is responsible for this diminishing effect.

The risk of developing a tolerance to AEDs was traditionally thought to be small. Loscher and Schmidt, however, conclude that while AED tolerance is not a serious issue for most sufferers of epilepsy, it is a significant aspect of treatment in some patients. A few may even develop a cross-tolerance to similar medication. This "multi-drug resistance" is of serious concern to patients with medically intractable epilepsy.

The findings directly conflict with the treatment method many doctors are currently using. It is standard practice to increase AED dosage until adequate seizure control is obtained. However, this protocol presents a number of issues. The threat of medication tolerance is generally overlooked, as is the idea that epilepsy can be a progressive disease and does not develop at a fixed rate. Further, patients may acquire a tolerance to some effects of a particular drug, but not all.

Loscher and Schmidt have spent decades studying the effects of AEDs, however, Loscher believes that AED tolerance is a topic that has yet to be fully explored, and that more long-term clinical trials are becoming increasingly necessary. "Despite the convincing experimental evidence," Loscher says, "tolerance to the effectiveness of AEDs seems to have been forgotten."

Research is currently being done on the effects of placebo and conditional tolerance (a mental, conditioned-response effect that the mind has over the body). Doctors are also studying the effects of lower initial and target doses of AEDs. The possibility exists that many patients are being initially over medicated poses a significant challenge to doctors and scientists working toward effective seizure control.

This study is published in the current issue of Epilepsia. Media wishing to receive a PDF of this article please contact medicalnews@bos.blackwellpublishing.net

Dr. Wolfgang Loescher is Professor and Director of the Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover as well as Head of the Centre for Systems Neuroscience in Hannover, Germany. He can be contacted at wolfgang.loescher@tiho-hannover.edu

Epilepsia is published on behalf of The International League Against Epilepsy (www.ilae-epilepsy.org/), the world's preeminent association of physicians and other health professionals working towards a world where no person's life is limited by Epilepsy. Its mission is to provide the highest quality of care and well-being for those afflicted with the condition and other related seizure disorders.

Contact: Sean Wagner swagner@bos.blackwellpublishing.com 781-388-8550 Blackwell Publishing Ltd
The Health Ranger recommends and personally uses Aquasana water filters:

NaturalNews Exclusive: FREE decanter with *any* purchase from Aquasansa. Click here to claim:


Related Articles:

Epilepsy drug poses high risk for fetal death and birth defects (press release)

Diet and Epilepsy: A Natural Approach to a Vexing Problem

Discovery of the God Module Results in New Field of Science: Neurotheology

Take Action: Support NaturalNews.com

Email this article to a friend

Share this article on: NewsVine | digg | del.icio.us

Permalink to this article: http://www.NaturalNews.com/020893.html

Reprinting this article: Non-commercial OK, cite NaturalNews.com with clickable link.

Embed article link: (copy HTML code below):

Receive our Natural Health Newsletter for FREE

Subscribe now to receive a summary of each day's most important natural health stories, plus get full, free access to the entire archives of books on HealthBookSummaries.

You'll also get access to 20+ free downloadable reports and exclusive interviews here on NaturalNews.com. Join over 1.2 million monthly readers. Unsubscribe anytime. Your email privacy is protected. We absolutely do not sell or share email addresses with anyone!
  • Receive breaking news alerts on natural health solutions, renewable energy, the environment, global warming and more.
  • Get instant access to over 20 downloadable health reports and exclusive interviews.
  • Get full access to the entire archives of downloadable book summaries from HealthBookSummaries.com.
Your Email Address:
100% free of charge. Unsubscribe anytime.
Absolutely no spam. We respect your email privacy.

"I'm so impressed with the work that you're doing and the information you're disseminating, it's just vital for people to get this sort of information."

- Michael T. Murray, author of The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine

"Mike Adams has one of the best websites on the Internet. His articles, podcasts and books will improve your life, and possibly save it."

- Suzy Cohen, R.Ph., author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist

Breaking News from across the 'net:

U.S. Senate Quietly Approves Massive $488 Billion Pentagon Spending Bill

Nanoparticles Proven to Penetrate the Skin

Mainstream Media Fail to Report Big Pharma Funding on Drug Studies

SHOCK Doctrine: Naomi Klein's Video is a Must-See (video)

            See all Breaking News...

Also Posted Today

Interview with Sergei Zimin About Modifilan brown seaweed extract

Medical Study Ghostwriting Common Throughout Drug Industry

Is Cartoon Character Advertising Making American Kids Fat?

Gallstones in the Liver: A Major Health Risk

Propaganda Campaign Against Estrogen Benefits Pharmaceutical Companies

City Streets with Trees Reduce Asthma in Children Living Nearby

Discover on NaturalNews NaturalPedia™

Epilepsy
Medication
Doctors

Also on NaturalNews:

Streaming Health Ranger Videos
CounterThink Cartoons
FREE Special Reports
Podcasts

Free Health Reports!

Amazon Herb Company review
The pH Nutrition Guide to Acid / Alkaline Balance
Pet Food Ingredients Revealed! (shocking)
Medicine From Fish
The Water Cure
The Healing Power of Sunlight and Vitamin D

Related CounterThink Cartoons

Negotiating with Big Pharma


Training for FDA raids


The Speeding Doctor


Featured Videos

Short clip on Aspartame
A short clip on aspartame from the documentary All Jacked Up.
Click here to view now...

Exclusive video on Aspartame
The dangers of aspartame! Exclusive interview footage from Cori Brackett of Sweet Remedy.
Click here to view now...

Exclusive Footage from All Jacked Up!
See interview footage featuring the Health Ranger in the upcoming junk food film, All Jacked Up.
Click here to view now...

Drug Ad Parody
See the Health Ranger's satire parody of Merck's cholesterol drug ad.
Click here to view now...

This site is part of the Natural News Network © 2008 All Rights Reserved. Privacy | Terms All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing International, LTD. is not responsible for content written by contributing authors. Truth Publishing sells no health or nutritional products and earns no money from health product manufacturers or promoters. The information on this site is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice of any kind. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. Your use of this website indicates your agreement to these terms and those published here. All trademarks, registered trademarks and servicemarks mentioned on this site are the property of their respective owners.