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IV levetiracetam in the management of non-convulsive status epilepticus

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Abstract

Introduction

Status epilepticus (SE) is a medical emergency requiring prompt treatment to try to limit mortality and improve outcome. So far, newer antiepileptic drugs (AED) have not assumed a noticeable role in the treatment of SE. This may be in part due to the lack of IV forms for the newer AEDs. The IV form of Levetiracetam (IV-LEV) has recently become available and has a potential role in the treatment of SE.

Methods and results

We report two cases of non-convulsive SE that responded favorably to IV-LEV. The first patient is an 83-year-old male with a history of complex partial seizure disorder who presented with impaired consciousness. The second patient is an 82-year-old male with history of old left middle cerebral artery ischemic infarction, who presented with confusion. Both patients were found to have a non-convulsive status epilepticus on electroencephalography (EEG) and treated with IV-LEV. In both cases, electrographic SE stopped with marked clinical improvement. Both patients tolerated the medication well and no significant side effects occurred.

Conclusion

IV-LEV may have a potential role in the treatment of non-convulsive status epileptics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Michigan State University, 138 Service Road, A-217 Clinical Center, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Muhammad U. Farooq, Bharath Naravetla, Arshad Majid, Rishi Gupta, Joseph J. Pysh & Mounzer Y. Kassab

  2. Sparrow Healthcare System, Lansing, MI, USA

    Muhammad U. Farooq, Bharath Naravetla, Arshad Majid, Rishi Gupta, Joseph J. Pysh & Mounzer Y. Kassab

Authors
  1. Muhammad U. Farooq
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  2. Bharath Naravetla
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  3. Arshad Majid
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  4. Rishi Gupta
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  5. Joseph J. Pysh
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  6. Mounzer Y. Kassab
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mounzer Y. Kassab.

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Farooq, M.U., Naravetla, B., Majid, A. et al. IV levetiracetam in the management of non-convulsive status epilepticus. Neurocrit Care 7, 36–39 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12028-007-0022-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12028-007-0022-z

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