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Published on: May 16, 2019
Anticipatory anxiety of seizures: What is the best treatment?
Coraline Hingray1,2,3, Herve Javelot2,4, Frank Lach2,4
1EEG-monitoring Unit, Neurology Department, Hôpital Central, CHU de Nancy, 54000 Nancy, France.
Abstract:
Anxiety disorders affect roughly 25% of people with epilepsy (PWE), and are associated with a strong impairment of quality of life and a poorer stabilization of epilepsy. Anticipatory anxiety of seizure (AAS), defined by the persistent worry or fear to have another seizure, is highly frequent and associated with avoidant behavior. Unfortunately, AAS is often overlooked and untreated. Here, we present the case of a 35-year-old patient suffering from AAS secondary to focal epilepsy. We aimed to provide practical guidelines and tools for the screening and treatment of anxiety disorders in PWE. Regarding psychotropic medication, Sertraline or Citalopram might be good options for first-line treatment of AAS, since they are efficient against anxiety and well-tolerated in epilepsy.
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