Epilepsy & behavior : E&B
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Epilepsy & behavior : E&B · Aug 2009
Editorial Biography Historical ArticleIn memoriam: Susan S. Spencer, MD.
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Epilepsy & behavior : E&B · Aug 2009
Two years of experience in the treatment of status epilepticus with intravenous levetiracetam.
Since its introduction in 2006, 43 patients with various forms of status epilepticus (SE) have been treated with the intravenous formulation of levetiracetam (LEV) in our clinic. After ineffective treatment with benzodiazepines, intravenous LEV was administered as a short infusion (nonconvulsive and subtle SE) at a dose of 1000 or 2000 mg. In cases of convulsive SE, a fractionated injection of 1000 or 2000 mg was used. ⋯ No severe adverse reactions were observed. As a result of this investigation, intravenous LEV in moderate doses may represent an efficacious and well-tolerated alternative for the treatment of focal (simple and complex focal) and myoclonic SE. Further investigations are needed to confirm this assumption as the patient numbers are quite low.