Epilepsy is a group of diseases whose main clinical manifestation is the presence of epileptic seizures that appear spontaneously and recurrently. In addition, there is an increasing tendency to consider as part of epilepsy all the neuropsychological, psychiatric and psychosocial problems that many people with epilepsy present.
Is there a relationship between epilepsy and Covid-19 and why does it cause an increase in epileptic seizures?
Some studies have shown that people with epilepsy had a slightly higher risk of developing COVID-19, but there is discussion in the scientific community about that and it needs to be better studied.
In a multicenter study that we recently published, collecting data from several Spanish hospitals, we saw that infection was slightly more severe in people with epilepsy, but we also saw that about 90% of patients remained stable with respect to their epilepsy during the disease. In those where it worsened, there were several factors such as psychological stress, insomnia or difficulty in taking antiepileptic drugs.
What is the treatment?
The basic treatment for epilepsy is antiepileptic drugs, with which up to 2-3 of the patients are well controlled. If this is not achieved, the neurologist performs surgical treatment, continuous neurostimulation or ketogenic diet, controlled by a multidisciplinary team including nutritionists, can help to reduce or suppress seizures.
Guidelines for patients with epilepsy in their daily life
There are 3 factors that are fundamental for good epilepsy control:
1) Adherence to treatment, i.e., taking medication well.
2) Adequate sleep control.
3) Reducing stress to the minimum necessary.
How does it influence the patient’s life?
Depending on the type of epilepsy, type of seizures and seizure frequency, epilepsy can be disabling or it can allow people to lead a life similar to that of people without epilepsy.