Yasmina Kattou / Photo credit: GARO / PHANIE / PHANIE VIA AFP
It is the second most common neurological disease after migraine and yet it is poorly understood: epilepsy affects 1% of the population, or 600,000 French people. And thousands of them struggle to be diagnosed. The High Authority for Health therefore publishes a guide on the health course of these patients.
While epilepsy affects 1% of the French population and represents the second most common neurological disease after migraine, the High Health Authority, in collaboration with Health Insurance, publishes a guide on the health journey of sick people . The final objective is obviously to improve their quality of life and to improve the still poorly understood diagnosis. It is a question of adapting the course of care according to the gravity of the epilepsy. Three levels of support have been defined.
Associated disorders treated
The first concerns the simplest cases, with follow-up provided by the general practitioner in conjunction with a neurologist. At the second level, a neurologist must confirm the diagnosis, look for comorbidities and put in place, if necessary, a treatment. Finally, the third level will allow, in the event of drug resistance, to be monitored in ultra-specialized centers in epilepsy. In addition, more comprehensive care is provided for disorders caused by seizures.
“A physiotherapist, neuropsychologist, psychologist… This concerns all the professions that can help the patient in his associated disorders, such as memory disorders and concentration disorders and in the health journey. They will be taken care of and that will precisely allow better support for the patient”, explains Christophe Lucas, president of Épilepsie France. The specialist, however, deplores the lack of caregivers. There are only 350 neurologists specializing in epilepsy in France.