Raising Awareness About Epilepsy and Antidepressants to Improve Treatment.
OBI maintains a wide network of collaborators that includes patients, researchers, health care providers, and policy makers. By directly connecting researchers with patients and caregivers, OBI ensures that accurate and evidence-based knowledge is translated into clinical practice and patient communities.
Change is slow even in the fast-paced world of healthcare. OBI’s Epilepsy Research Program (EpLink) is committed to making evidence-based solutions available to people living with epilepsy—even in an environment of clinician resistance.
Nearly 90,000 people in Ontario have epilepsy. There are medications that can effectively control seizures for about 70% them, while 30% do not respond to drugs. People living with uncontrolled seizures often struggle with isolation, lack of employment and independence, cognitive disorders and depression. It is estimated that around 50% of people with epilepsy will experience depression at some point.
“One of the greatest strengths of the OBI model is the ability to effectively and rapidly share knowledge and information between the patient, researcher and medical communities. The focus on empowering patients through knowledge and participation in research helps to ensure that best practices are followed in the clinic, and that patients can take an active role in their own care.”
There is a misconception within the medical community that antidepressants can worsen seizures in people with epilepsy. This has led to a reluctance by clinicians to prescribe antidepressants to those who could benefit from the treatment. However, research shows that both selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), two classes of drugs typically used as antidepressants, have no negative impact on seizure frequency, and could effectively improve depressive symptoms and quality of life in people with epilepsy.
To translate research knowledge into the community that might not otherwise reach them directly, EpLink created a public awareness campaign to celebrate this information—to increase awareness of which antidepressants are safe to use in people with epilepsy, and which ones should be avoided.
In partnership with the Mood Disorders Association of Ontario, EpLink’s awareness campaign presented clear guidelines for clinicians, outlining which antidepressants were shown to be safe to prescribe for people with epilepsy, while also signaling drugs that should be avoided. This approach to connecting research with care will help people living with epilepsy and keep healthcare providers abreast of the most recent research information—ultimately improving care and patient outcomes.
