Delaying the first dose of antiseizure medication in children with status epilepticus will likely prolong the condition, according a report published in Epilepsy Research.
- Investigators from the Division of Child Neurology at Children’s National Health System in Washington, DC, evaluated the timing and selection of antiseizure medication in children presenting at a pediatric emergency department .
- Among 141 patients with status epilepticus (SE), median age 45 months, SE lasted 61.5 min (median).
- Median time to receipt of the first dose of antiseizure drug was 25 min.
- Ninety two percent of patients received a benzodiazepine as the first drug.
- A benzodiazepine was the second dose antiseizure medication in 95% of patients.
- Among patients who received the first dose of medication in less than 5 minutes, seizures lasted 59.5 min (median) while children who did not receive their first dose for an hour or more after seizure experienced a duration of 151.5 min.
Cohen NT, Chamberlain JM, Gaillard WD. Timing and selection of first antiseizure medication in patients with pediatric status epilepticus. Epilepsy Res. 2019;149:21-25.
