Anticonvulsant drugs are medicines used to prevent or treat convulsions (seizures)in people with epilepsy. Epilepsy is not a single disease -- it is a set of symptoms that may have different causes in different people. There is an imbalance in the brain's electrical activity which causes seizures. These may affect part or all of the body and may or may not cause a loss of consciousness. Anticonvulsant drugs act on the brain to reduce the frequency and severity of seizures.

Anticonvulsant drugs are an important part of the treatment program for epilepsy. Different kinds of drugs may be prescribed for different types of seizures. In addition to taking medicine, patients with epilepsy should get enough rest, avoid stress, and practice good health habits. Some physicians believe that giving the drugs to children with epilepsy may prevent the condition from getting worse in later life. However...