Medication alone is not enough when managing drug-resistant epilepsy

Patients with poorly controlled epilepsy are at more than a 10× greater risk of premature death versus those who achieve seizure freedom

Patients with poorly controlled epilepsy are at more than a 10× greater risk of premature death versus those who achieve seizure freedom1

Fewer than 1 in 10 patients achieves seizure freedom with an anti-seizure medication (ASM) after 2 or more failures

ASM intolerance is one of the strongest and most consistent negative predictors of QoL for patients with DRE and is associated with behavioral and adverse events2,3

Rates of intolerable adverse effects and seizure freedom with ASMs have been stagnant despite 12+ medications being approved in the last 30 years

Rates of intolerable adverse effects and seizure freedom with ASMs have been stagnant despite 12+ medications being approved in the last 30 years4,5

The sooner you act, the more likely you are to mitigate the serious consequences of DRE

VNS Therapy™ Can Provide Improvements in Seizure Control*

VNS Therapy™ Can De-Intensify Seizures and Provide Improvements in Seizure Control6*

59% reported ≥ 50% reduction in seizures

41% reported ≥ 80% reduction in seizures 

* Data is from devices with AutoStim Mode enabled, which is only available in models 106, 1000, and 1000-D.

VNS Therapy® response improves over time with a 76% mean reduction in seizures at 10 years

VNS Therapy® response improves over time with a 76% mean reduction in seizures at 10 years

Mean reduction in seizure frequency7

 

In a survey of 200 VNS Therapy™ patients and caregivers8:

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As soon as you identify DRE in a patient, discuss the next intervention options including VNS Therapy

Improvements in quality-of-life confirmed across 2 prospective, multicenter, clinical trials (E-36) and (E-37)13
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Empower your patients and discuss VNS Therapy™ earlier

VNS Therapy™ has proven safety and is well tolerated

VNS TherapyTM Safety Profile 

VNS Therapy is proven to be a safe adjunctive treatment and is well-tolerated by most patients without contributing to ASM toxicity.10,11

The most common side effects of VNS Therapy occur during stimulation and generally become less noticeable over time for most patients.10,12 Infection is the most common complication of the procedure.11

VNS Therapy™ has no neurotoxic effects or drug interactions10,11

Epilepsy (US) – The VNS Therapy System is indicated for use as an adjunctive therapy in reducing thefrequency of seizures in patients 4 years of age and older with partial onset seizures that are refractory to antiepileptic medications.
 

VNS Therapy Safety Profile

The most common side effects of VNS Therapy include:
Hoarseness
Shortness of breath
Sore throat
Coughing
These side effects generally only occur during stimulation and usually decrease over time.
Infection is the most common side effect of the procedure.
You can find more safety information here.

References: 1. Thurman DJ, Logroscino G, Beghi E, et al. Epilepsia. 2017;58(1):17-26. 2. Chen B, Choi H, Hirsch LJ, et al. Psychiatric and behavioral side effects of antiepileptic drugs in adults with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav. 2017;76:24-31. 3. St Louis EK. Minimizing AED adverse effects: improving quality of life in the interictal state in epilepsy care. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2009;7(2):106-114. 4. Alsfouk BAAA, Brodie MJ, Walters M, et al. JAMA Neurol. 2020;77(5):574-581. 5. Chen Z, Brodie MJ, Liew D, et al. JAMA Neurol. 2018;75(3):279-286. 6. Hamilton P, Soryal I, Dhahri P, et al. Seizure. 2018;58:120-126. 7. Elliott RE, Morsi A, Tanweer O, et al. Epilepsy Behav. 2011;20(3):478-483. 8. Data on file. Survey Report. LivaNova USA, Inc. Houston, TX. October 2021. 9. Englot DJ, Hassnain KH, Rolston JD, et al. Epilepsy Behav. 2017;66:4-9. 10. Ben-Menachem E. J Clin Neurophysiol. 2001;18(5):415 418. 11. Epilepsy Patient’s Manual for Vagus Nerve Stimulation, LivaNova, Inc., Houston, TX. 12. Morris GL, Mueller WM. Neurology. 1999;53(7):1731-1735. 13. Data on file. E-36, E-37 Pooled Calculations. LivaNova USA, Inc. Houston, TX. 2015