Part of a series designed to fulfil the need for a simple guide to common neurological disorders for the non-specialist who is required to diagnose and manage these conditions as part of their clinical practice. The guide simplifies the management of epilepsies.

Epilepsy is a common neurological condition and is frequently dealt with by non-specialists, and even non-neurologists. Diagnosis is difficult and treatment increasingly complex, including therapeutic and surgical options. This book offers a comprehensible approach, including the basic science, which forms the basis for the diagnosis and management of epilepsy. Current issues are addressed with clarity and include the most recent clinical findings. This book is part of a series designed to fulfil the need for a simple guide to common neurological disorders for the non-specialist, who is required to diagnose and manage these conditions as part of their clinical practice.

• Part 1: Epidemiology and basic science: Classification of seizures and epilepsies - general principles
• Epidemiology of epilepsy
• Pathological anatomy of epilepsy
• Basic pharmacology of epilepsy
• Part 2: Diagnosis: The differentiation of epilepsy
• The clinical identification
• The role of the EEG
• The role of neuroimaging
• Rarer epilepsy syndromes
• Part 3: Treatment of epilepsy: Supportive measures for the newly diagnosed patient
• When to treat
• Indications and contraindications for specific drugs
• Non-drug treatment
• When to withdraw treatment
• Part 4: Special issues in drug treatment: Fertility and teratogenicity
• Treatment in children
• Treating the elderly
• Treatment of status epilepticus
• Part 5: Psychosocial issues in epilepsy: Psychosis and its relation to epilepsy
• Depression and affective disorders
• The social consequences of epilepsy.