Nku Nrs255 - E3 - Generalized Seizure Drugs

Front 1

Drugs that decreases excitability and hyperexcitability.
Decrease conduction through nerve pathways reducing the tonic-clonic, muscular, and emotional responses to stimulation.
Generally less sedative than many other antiepileptics.

Back 1

Hydantoins

Front 2

Indication: Control of tonic-clonic and psychomotor seizures; prevention of seizures during neurosurgery; control of status epilepticus.
Actions: Stabilizes neuronal membranes and prevents hyperexcitability caused by excessive stmulation; limits the spread of seizure activity from an active focus; has cardiac antiarrhythmic effect similar to lidocaine.
Side effects: Nystagmus, liver samage, slurred speech, SJS, gingival hyperplasia, hematopoietic complications, mental confusion, ataxia, tremors, dermatitis.

Back 2

phenytoin
(a hydantoin drug)
("-toin")
route: PO, IV

Front 3

Drugs that inhibit impulse conduction in the ascending reticular activating system (RAS), depress the cerebral cortex, alter cerebellar function and depress motor nerve output.

Back 3

Barbiturates

Front 4

Indication: Long-term treatment of generalized tonic-clonic and cortical focal seizures; emergency control of certain acute convulsive episodes.
Action: General CNS depressant; inhibits impulse conduction in ascending RAS; depress cerebral cortex, alters cerebellar function; depresses motor output; sedation, hypnosis, anesthesia, deep coma.
Side effects: nightmares, hallucinations, necrosis at injection site, withdraw syndrome, insomnia, anxiety, hypotension, vertigo, respiratory depression.

Back 4

phenobarbital
(barbiturate)
route: PO, IM, SQ, IV

Front 5

Drugs that act primarily in the limbic system and RAS, also cause muscle relaxation and relieve anxiety w/o affecting cortical functioning.

Back 5

Benzodiazepines

Front 6

Indications: Management of anxiety disorders; acute alcohol withdraw; tx of tetanus; adjunct in status epilepticus and severe recurrent convulsive seizures; post-op relief of anxiety and tension; intermittent use for control of seizures.
Actions: acts in the limbic system and reticular formation; potentiates the effects of GABA; little effect on cortical function.

Back 6

diazepam
route: PO, IM, IV, PR

Front 7

Drugs that suppress abnormal electrical activity in the brain that is associated with absence seizures.
May be related to inhibitory neural pathways in the brain.

Back 7

Succinimides
("-suximide")

Front 8

Indication: Control of absence seizures.
Actions: May act in inhibitory neuronal systems; suppresses the electroencephalographic pattern associated with absence seizures; reduces frequency of attacks.
Side effects: SJS, epigastric pain, anorexia, pancytopenia, drowsy, dizzy, irritability, nervousness, HA, blurred vision, pruritis, N/V

Back 8

Ethosuximide
route: PO

Front 9

Reduces abnormal electrical activity in the brain and may also increase GABA activity at inhibitory receptors.
Side effect: liver toxicity, weakness, drowsy, dizzy, paresthesias.

Back 9

Valproic Acid
route: PO, IV

Front 10

Drug of choice for partial seizures and tonic-clonic seizures; tx of trigeminal neuralgia & bipolar disorder.
Chemically related to tricyclic anti-depressants.
Has ability to inhibit polysynaptic responses and to block sodium channels to prevent formation of repetitive action potentials in the abnormal focus.
Side effects: liver toxicity, bone marrow suppression, results of CNS depression and GI depression.

Back 10

carbamazepine
route: PO