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II. A Case for Long‐Term Treatment with Anticonvulsants
Author(s) -
Hodson Andrew
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
pharmacotherapy: the journal of human pharmacology and drug therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.227
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1875-9114
pISSN - 0277-0008
DOI - 10.1002/j.1875-9114.1985.tb03426.x
Subject(s) - phenobarbital , anticonvulsant , medicine , cerebral palsy , pediatrics , epilepsy , neonatal seizure , retrospective cohort study , anticonvulsant drugs , anesthesia , psychiatry , surgery
Seizures occurring in the neonatal period are one of the most significant discriminating factors in predicting childhood neurologic mortality and morbidity (epilepsy, cerebral palsy and mental retardation). Data derived from retrospective and prospective studies indicate that different variables, such as cause and severity of seizure activity, birth weight, neurologic examination and electroencephalogram, help predict which of these children will be severely affected. Most physicians treat such children with an anticonvulsant (phenobarbital) for the first year of life on the supposition that this therapy will minimize mortality and long‐term morbidity. There are no controlled studies to indicate whether anticonvulsant therapy affects the outcome in children with neonatal seizures. It may now be possible to select those who are at significantly higher risk for neurologic morbidity, and these infants may benefit from anticonvulsant prophylaxis with phenobarbital.