Epilepsy and dependence.

Neuropsychopharmacol Hung 12(1):295-300 (2010) PMID 20305305

Epilepsy is relatively frequent neurological condition. Its prevalence is assumed to be about 1%, and it would be interesting to see how many of these people have comorbid substance dependence disorder. The manifestation of epilepsy exhibits a seizure-like condition with typical neurological and psychical symptoms, which are induced by pathological electric discharges in brain. The population of addicts is known to have higher prevalence of seizures, found not only in alcohol abusers, but also in illicit drug users. The aim of our paper is to give an overview of the prevalence rates of this serious health condition in patients with substance dependence treated at the OLUP NPO, Predná Hora. The author compares two groups of patients: with and without the epileptic seizures. Alcohol addicts prevailed in both groups. Each 8th treated dependent patient had at least one epileptic seizure. Nearly the same percent of dependent patients in both groups (43,6% vs. 40,9%) holds a driving license, thus they probably also drive a motor vehicle. Is there any person who would initiate withdrawal of driving license from such patients? Frequent somatic diseases in more than one half of the group with seizures (more than 62%) highlight the fact that this group of patients requires thorough and financially probably more demanding health care.