ABSTRACT
The use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in the elderly is influenced by a number of factors including the cause of the seizure. Some causes may produce progressive brain damage and dementia as well as seizures. This can increase the severity and frequency of seizures and greatly complicate chances of successful management. Many conditions that cause seizures in the elderly tend to be progressive and produce increasing brain damage with an increasing likelihood of persistent seizures. These conditions can also cause a decline in intellect and a decline in motor and sensory function. Older patients who take AEDs tend to be more susceptible to adverse effects related to systems other than the nervous system than are younger patients. In addition to a careful examination to determine the cause of seizures, a careful search should always be made for evidence of intellectual decline as patients with it are more likely to have adverse effects such as delirium.+.
