Worldwide, approximately 50 million people suffer from the disease. Photo: Disclosure.
March is marked by the World Epilepsy Awareness Day, which takes place on the 26th. Purple Day was created through an international effort and focused on actions that reinforce the date and the importance of awareness about the disease.
Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease that affects people of all ages around the world. It is characterized by recurrent attacks, the most popular one is the seizure, but it is not the only one. The doctor invited by Prati-Donaduzzi to address the issue, the neurologist and member of the Young Researchers Committee of the Brazilian League of Epilepsy (LBE), Eliane Keiko Fujisao, explains, “Seizures can present themselves as movements and spasms of only one member; a malaise, or also visual and sensitivity changes”.
Its causes are multiple and within this set of diseases, there are the ones that come from a genetic predisposition; the ones that are consequences of problems that occurred during pregnancy or childbirth; the ones that are secondary to infectious, inflammatory or metabolic diseases and the ones that are called structural, which were caused by head trauma or stroke.
In just over 60% of cases, crises are controlled with medication. However, cognitive comorbidities, such as memory and attention disorders, and behavioral comorbidities, such as depression and anxiety, are still present and can affect quality of life.
Despite the impacts on the patient's daily life, experts ensure that it is possible to control the disease and reduce crises. "Nowadays, there are many alternative treatments such as the ketogenic diet and the use of cannabidiol", says the neurologist.
Challenges of lack of information
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), about 3 million Brazilians suffer from the disease. Worldwide, there are approximately 50 million people. In addition to the search for better quality of life, one of the main struggles of those who live with the disease is against prejudice.
“In addition to all the difficulties that the patient experiences with the disease, he/she still needs to deal with the misinformation of friends, family and community, which can worsen this situation with prejudice and stigma. That is why actions like Purple Day are so important”, reinforces Dr. Fujisao.
On behalf of awareness
An example of an action that seeks precisely to contribute to this struggle through information is Purple Day Brazil. Scheduled for March 27, at 9:30 am, it takes place online - due to the Covid-19 pandemic - and aims to address the topic of epilepsy without prejudice. The action brings together great personalities, specialist doctors, health professionals and patients to talk about life with epilepsy and the free registration can be made through the website:
“I am sure that it will be a transforming event in the lives of many people who have epilepsy and do not recognize the need and the importance of knowing about others who are in the same condition as themselves. They will be able to understand their fears, insecurities, dreams and create references for self-knowledge and seek quality of life”, says the ambassador of the Purple Day movement, Eduardo Caminada Junior.
Prati-Donaduzzi supports the action for the second consecutive year, which converges with the company's aim of bringing health through information to people, mainly about the pathologies of the Central Nervous System (CNS). In addition, the pharmaceutical company provides the community and medical professionals with a website (https://www.evolucaoparavida.com.br/) with exclusive content.
PRATI-DONADUZZI
Prati-Donaduzzi, a Brazilian pharmaceutical industry, is specialized and a benchmark in the development and production of generic drugs. Headquartered in Toledo, Western Paraná, it produces approximately 12 billion therapeutic doses per year and generates more than 4,500 employments. The industry has one of the largest generic drug portfolios in Brazil and it has been working in the area of Medical Prescriptions since 2019.
