Tonic-clonic seizures in idiopathic generalized epilepsies: prevalence, risk factors, and outcome.

Generalized tonic-clonic seizures do not affect the seizure outcome in patients with IGEs per se; but, how we manage them significantly affects the seizure outcome in these patients. Failure to prescribe valproate for women with IGE, particularly when another first-line treatment has failed, may not be in a patient's best interests.