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Study of the Side Effects of Long‐Term Anticonvulsant Treatment
Author(s) -
Nakazawa Yoichi,
Ohkawa Toshihiko
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
psychiatry and clinical neurosciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.609
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1440-1819
pISSN - 1323-1316
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1819.1980.tb01534.x
Subject(s) - medicine , diplopia , vertigo , ataxia , hirsutism , nystagmus , vomiting , anesthesia , phenytoin , gastroenterology , epilepsy , surgery , insulin resistance , polycystic ovary , psychiatry , insulin , radiology
Summary In the present survey, we investigated the side effects of anticonvulsants in 248 epileptics who had been taking medicine for a long time. About half of the patients had been given anticonvulsant treatment for more than 11 years. The main results were as follows: Subjective symptoms: many kinds of gastrointestinal symptoms, general fatigability and sleepiness, slight pain in bones, joints or muscles and headache were found. Neurological symptoms: finger tremor at rest, diminished or decreased ankle reflex, and cerebellar symptoms such as ataxic gait, dysarthria, nystagmus and diplopia were found. Other clinical symptoms: gingival hyperplasia, hirsutism, dermatitis and edema were observed. Biochemical examinations: indicated that the total bilirubin was decreased in 4.4%, serum AL‐P was elevated in 26.2%, the total serum cholesterol increased above 200mg/dl in 17.7% and decreased below 150mg/dl in 8.9%, and serum P and K were reduced in 31.5% and 2.4%, respectively. Hypocalcemia was found in only four cases (1.6%). Hematological examinations: serious disturbances were not found in hematopoietic functions, although prothrombin time was delayed in 18 of 40 patients examined.