Dravet syndrome is a uncommon and extreme kind of epilepsy that begins in infancy or early childhood. Signs can embrace frequent, extended, troublesome to deal with seizures, developmental and motor impairments, and an elevated danger of sudden loss of life. Dravet syndrome (pronounced “dra-vay”) impacts roughly one in 15,700 infants born within the U.S. In not less than 80 p.c of instances, Dravet syndrome is brought on by defects in a gene required for the right perform of mind cells. Whereas Dravet syndrome might be inherited, most individuals with Dravet syndrome wouldn’t have a household historical past of the situation.
The primary signal of Dravet syndrome is normally a convulsive seizure that’s triggered by a fever, usually round 5 to eight months of age. Kids with Dravet syndrome can produce other kinds of seizures within the weeks or months after the primary occasion. The seizures are usually lengthy and troublesome to manage with medicine. They might be triggered by infections, modifications in physique temperature, flashing lights or different visible stimuli, and emotional stress or pleasure.
November is Nationwide Epilepsy Consciousness Month, a time to focus on Dravet syndrome and the remedy choices accessible to assist sufferers and their households.
In a scientific research, FINTEPLA lowered month-to-month seizures by 79% on common, in contrast with 16% discount for sufferers taking placebo. Sufferers added FINTEPLA (0.7 mg/kg/day) or placebo to their present antiseizure remedy plans. FINTEPLA is barely accessible by means of the FINTEPLA Danger Analysis and Mitigation Technique (REMS) Program because of the elevated danger of issues with the valves within the coronary heart and hypertension within the arteries of the lungs related to fenfluramine – the energetic ingredient in FINTEPLA.
Prescribing Information [fintepla.com] and Medication Guide [fintepla.com].
