Epilepsy Treatment

Research, such as the landmark study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, has demonstrated that cannabidiol (CBD) effectively reduces seizure frequency in patients.

One significant study examining the efficacy of medicinal cannabis in treating epilepsy is a landmark clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2017.

This study investigated the use of cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive compound found in cannabis, for the treatment of Dravet syndrome, a severe form of childhood epilepsy that is often resistant to conventional antiepileptic medications.

Here are some key findings from the study:

Reduction in Seizure Frequency

The study found that treatment with CBD significantly reduced the frequency of convulsive seizures in patients with Dravet syndrome. Patients who received CBD experienced a median reduction in convulsive seizure frequency of 39% compared to 13% in the placebo group.

Responder Rate

A higher proportion of patients treated with CBD experienced a clinically significant reduction in seizure frequency compared to placebo. In the CBD group, 43% of patients had at least a 50% reduction in convulsive seizures, compared to 27% in the placebo group.

Safety and Tolerability

CBD was generally well-tolerated, with the most common adverse effects being diarrhea, somnolence, fatigue, pyrexia, decreased appetite, and vomiting. Serious adverse events were reported in both the CBD and placebo groups, but the incidence was similar between the two groups.

Effectiveness Across Age Groups

The study included patients ranging in age from 2 to 18 years old, and CBD was found to be effective across all age groups. However, the response to treatment varied among individual patients, highlighting the need for personalized approaches to epilepsy management.