Episode 23. Epilepsy with Dr Doug Crompton
Seizures may be defined as a transient disturbance of cerebral function due to abnormal paroxysmal neuronal discharge in the brain with epilepsy defined by any disorder characterised by recurrent (more than two) unprovoked seizures. It is estimated that 1-2% of the Australian population experience epileptic seizures in adult life and up to 4% of children experience epileptic seizures. With over 40 different types of epilepsy and epileptic syndromes the risks of death from this very important clinical problem is two to three times the average. It is estimated that 60-70% of patients with good epileptic care will be seizure free with treatment and this may lead to treatment withdrawal in up to 60% of adults after two to five years of successful therapy.
With this background we had a very interesting conversation with Dr Doug Crompton head of Neurology at Northern Hospital Melbourne in regard to:
· Definition of seizure and epilepsy
· Types of epilepsy
· Investigation and work up
· Management, including advice with respect to driving and daily activities
This was a very enjoyable conversation from a master in his field. Please join me with Doug.
Useful references include:
- How to treat 2016 yearbook Epilepsy Part I & II, pp. 143-154
To be a guest on the show or provide some feedback, I’d love to hear from you: manager@gihealth.com.au
Dr Luke Crantock MBBS, FRACP, is a gastroenterologist in practice for over 25 years. He is the founder of The Centre for GI Health, based in Melbourne Australia and is passionate about educating General Practitioners and patients on disease prevention and how to manage and improve their digestive health.