Abstract

AZEVEDO, Cristiana  and  CARDOSO, Fábio. NUTRITIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF PHARMACOLOGIC THERAPY IN EPILEPTIC PATIENTS. Acta Port Nutr [online]. 2021, n.25, pp.38-42.  Epub Oct 11, 2021. ISSN 2183-5985.  https://doi.org/10.21011/apn.2021.2507.

Epilepsy is a neurological disease whose incidence is expected to increase in the coming years. Since it is a chronic condition, most epileptic patients will need pharmacological treatment throughout their lives.

The interactions between drugs and nutrients, often overlooked by health professionals, can be varied and have an important impact on the patient's health outcomes. This group of individuals, in addition to the greater propensity to develop several nutritional deficits, also have a high cardiovascular risk and a higher prevalence of bone fragility compared to the general population, which contributes to the increase in the morbidity and mortality rates associated with this condition.

Nutritional status is a factor that can influence the natural course of the disease, enhancing or compromising the patient's quality of life and well-being. Therefore, it is essential to recognize the implications for nutritional status that follow antiepileptic pharmacological therapy, and that regular monitoring and evaluation, accompanied by an early nutritional intervention, must be taken into account, in order to prevent and/or reverse possible emerging complications.

Thus, this bibliographic review intends to ask what are the main nutritional consequences arising from the use of antiepileptic drugs and how can we mitigate them.

Keywords : Epilepsy; Nutritional status; Drug-nutrient interaction; Nutrition; Antiepileptic pharmacological therapy.

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