Valium Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Valium, including details on diazepam, depression, side-effects, withdrawal. | ||||||||
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Intravenous valproate for status epilepticus ... An effective, yet still merely empirical alternative!Kanner AM
VALPROATE IS AN EFFECTIVE, WELL-TOLERATED DRUG FOR TREATMENT OF STATUS EPILEPTICUS/SERIAL ATTACKS IN ADULTS: Olsen KB, Taubøll E, Gjerstad L. Acta Neurol Scand Suppl2007187:51-5417419829 OBJECTIVE: Status epilepticus (SE) and serial attacks (SA) represent neurological emergencies, and mortality rate for SE/SA is high, ranging from 3% to 25%, depending on cause and co-morbidity. As SE/SA become more refractory to treatment over time, rapid, appropriate treatment is extremely important. Here, we report a prospective registration of the effect of intravenous (IV) valproate (VPA) on SE/SA in a group of Norwegian patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-one adult patients (18 males, 23 females) were included in the study. All had previously been unsuccessfully treated with diazepam. For 19, the main SE/SA seizure type was generalized tonic-clonic, while 16 had complex-partial seizures. Six had seizures that were difficult to classify. The treatment protocol recommended 25 mg/kg of VPA loading dose over 30 min, followed by continuous infusion of 100 mg/h for at least 24 h, then per oral administration. If seizures persisted after the loading dose, general anaesthesia (barbiturates/propofol/midazolam) was administered. RESULTS: No serious side effects were reported. In 76% of the cases (31 of 41), SE/SA stopped and anaesthesia was not required. Of the patients treated within 3 h, only 5% needed anaesthesia, whereas of those treated after 3-24 h, 38% needed anaesthesia. Of those who waited for more than 24 h before treatment, 60% required anaesthesia. Furthermore, 60% of the patients who needed anaesthesia were given loading doses below 2100 mg. CONCLUSIONS: VPA seems to be a safe, effective treatment of SE/SA, but efficacy is dependent on time lapse between symptoms and VPA treatment, and administration of a sufficiently high loading dose. Published 19 May 2008 in Epilepsy Curr, 8(3): 66-7.
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