What Blood Work Is Needed for the Medication Management of Epilepsy?

Epilepsy, a condition that occurs when electrical signals within the brain misfire, requires medical treatment. Typically, epilepsy is controlled with anti-epileptic prescription medications. Physicians use routine blood work to monitor medication levels and to ensure that the medications are not producing dangerous side effects.

Significance

• Physicians require blood tests to measure sodium and potassium levels, to check blood cell counts, to check for normal kidney and liver function and to measure the amount of medication present in the blood.

Time Frame

• Physicians typically require blood work before putting a patient on a new anti-epileptic drug so that they can compare future blood work to the baseline sample. Blood testing will then be conducted at regular intervals to monitor the patient's health. Typically, physicians require new blood work every six months.

Function

• Routine blood work for epileptic patients functions as a safety precaution. It helps doctors prescribe correct dosages of medicine with the least amount of side effects. It also alerts doctors of any serious side effects.

Considerations

• If you suspect you are having an adverse reaction to any epilepsy medication, consult a physician who can order additional blood work to check for problems.

Warning

• Epilepsy medications may have adverse affects and can even result in serious complications such as liver damage. Therefore, it is important to cooperate with your doctor's requests for follow-up blood tests.