[Drug treatment of epilepsy].

Modern medical treatment of epilepsy renders two out of three newly diagnosed epilepsy patients seizure-free. More than 20 drugs are currently available and even for epilepsy specialists it may not be easy to select the drug which is best suited for the individual patient. Current guidelines recommend drugs with proven efficacy and optimal tolerability that address the individual needs of the patient. Non-enzyme-inducing agents are preferred if possible, to protect the patient from loss of efficacy when taking other medications for life-threatening disorders. In one out of three patients, seizure freedom is currently not possible due to drug-resistance, which requires a prompt diagnostic and therapeutic reevaluation of the epilepsy.