Skip to main content
British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology logoLink to British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
. 1983 Sep;16(3):285–289. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1983.tb02163.x

Acute effects of intravenous phenytoin on the frequency of inter-ictal spikes in man.

N Milligan, J Oxley, A Richens
PMCID: PMC1428017  PMID: 6626421

Abstract

Phenytoin was administered intravenously to six adult epileptic patients in doses ranging from 500--1000 mg (equivalent to 5.6 mg/kg--20 mg/kg body weight). A significant decrease in the frequency of inter-ictal spikes in the EEG was seen and this effect was most marked 10--20 min after the infusion, when the mean spike count was reduced to 27% (s.d. 17%) of the control (P less than 0.05). In one subject the decrease in inter-ictal spikes coincided with a decrease in fit frequency. Adverse reactions affecting the vestibular system occurred in three patients at doses of 15--20 mg/kg. No cardiovascular complications were observed in any subject. The overall results suggest that doses of 7.5--10 mg/kg would be sufficient to significantly reduce the frequency of inter-ictal spikes in the EEG.

Full text

PDF

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Ahmad S., Laidlaw J., Houghton G. W., Richens A. Involuntary movements caused by phenytoin intoxication in epileptic patients. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1975 Mar;38(3):225–231. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.38.3.225. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Booker H. E., Celesia G. G. Serum concentrations of diazepam in subjects with epilepsy. Arch Neurol. 1973 Sep;29(3):191–194. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1973.00490270073012. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Cranford R. E., Leppik I. E., Patrick B., Anderson C. B., Kostick B. Intravenous phenytoin: clinical and pharmacokinetic aspects. Neurology. 1978 Sep;28(9 Pt 1):874–880. doi: 10.1212/wnl.28.9.874. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Edmonds H. L., Stark L. G., Hollinger M. A. The effects of diphenylhydantoin, phenobarbital, and diazepam on the penicillin-induced epileptogenic focus in the rat. Exp Neurol. 1974 Nov;45(2):377–386. doi: 10.1016/0014-4886(74)90126-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Milligan N., Dhillon S., Oxley J., Richens A. Absorption of diazepam from the rectum and its effect on interictal spikes in the EEG. Epilepsia. 1982 Jun;23(3):323–331. doi: 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1982.tb06198.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Niedermeyer E. Intravenous diazepam and its anticonvulsive action. Johns Hopkins Med J. 1970 Aug;127(2):79–96. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Rand B. O., Kelly W. A., Ward A. A., Jr Electrophysiological studies of the action of intravenous diphenylhydantoin (Dilantin). Neurology. 1966 Oct;16(10):1022–1032. doi: 10.1212/wnl.16.10.1022. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Rodin E. A., Rim C. S., Rennick P. M. The effects of carbamazepine on patients with psychomotor epilepsy: results of a double-blind study. Epilepsia. 1974 Dec;15(4):547–561. doi: 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1974.tb04028.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Wilder B. J., Ramsay R. E., Willmore L. J., Feussner G. F., Perchalski R. J., Shumate J. B., Jr Efficacy of intravenous phenytoin in the treatment of status epilepticus: kinetics of central nervous system penetration. Ann Neurol. 1977 Jun;1(6):511–518. doi: 10.1002/ana.410010602. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Wilkus R. J., Dodrill C. B., Troupin A. S. Carbamazepine and the electroencephalogram of epileptics: a double blind study in comparison to phenytoin. Epilepsia. 1978 Jun;19(3):283–291. doi: 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1978.tb04491.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology are provided here courtesy of British Pharmacological Society

RESOURCES