Use of parenteral antiepileptic drugs and the role for fosphenytoin

Abstract

Neurology 1996;46(Suppl 1):S1-S2 Epilepsy is a chronic neurologic disorder. The pathologic process or condition that results in seizures may be acquired as a result of injury or developmental malformations Table 1 or it may be predetermined by inherited chromosomal gene abnormalities Table 2. Seizures may also be nonepileptic in origin, occurring as a result of transient alterations in cerebral physiology due to hypoxia, a metabolic or toxic cause, substance abuse or withdrawal, electrolyte imbalance, or elevated temperature. View this table: Table 1. Injuries or developmental malformations causing epilepsy View this table: Table 2. Epilepsies associated with gene abnormalities The goal of epilepsy therapy is to prevent seizures with the long-term use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and sometimes with surgical procedures. Occasionally, AEDs are used prophylactically to prevent the development of epilepsy in patients who have experienced head injury or who have had surgical ablative procedures for the treatment of other brain pathologic processes. Although the medical management of epilepsy is accomplished by the long-term use of orally administered AEDs, parenteral AEDs are necessary to treat seizure emergencies or when other medical situations preclude the use of oral …