Epilepsy: Brivaracetam (Briviact) approved for the treatment of partial onset seizures

Last Updated on February 19, 2016 by Joseph Gut – thasso

 February 19, 2016 – Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes people to have recurring seizures. A seizure is an episode, usually of relatively short duration, of abnormal brain activity. Seizures can cause a variety of symptoms, including uncontrolled movements or spasms, abnormal thinking and behavior, and abnormal sensations. Muscle spasms can be violent, and loss of consciousness can occur. Seizures occur when clusters of nerve cells (neurons) in the brain undergo uncontrolled activation. A partial onset seizure begins in a limited area of the brain.

Epilepsy has many possible causes including, among others, stroke, infection, tumors, traumatic brain injury, and abnormal brain development. In many cases, the specific cause is unknown. Epilepsy is one of the most common conditions affecting the brain. Approximately 5.1 million people in the United States have a history of epilepsy and approximately 2.9 million people in the United States have active epilepsy.

The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just approved Brivaracetam (Briviact) as an add-on treatment to other medications to treat partial onset seizures in patients age 16 years and older with epilepsy.