Open AccessAripiprazole-induced seizure: a second case report
Author(s) -
Che-Lin Yueh,
Sung-Lin Yu,
Hsiao-Min Chen,
Bo-Jian Wu,
Wen-Ching Chen
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
bmj case reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.231
H-Index - 26
ISSN - 1757-790X
DOI - 10.1136/bcr.03.2009.1693
Subject(s) - aripiprazole , medicine , clozapine , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , psychiatry , atypical antipsychotic , antipsychotic , seizure disorders , pediatrics , epilepsy
Aripiprazole has been recognised as a third generation antipsychotic and is considered to be distinguished from typical and atypical antipsychotics. In clinical trials, researchers did not mention the risk of aripiprazole-induced seizure, but during a literature review a case report was found that discussed this potential side effect. The present report concerns a 54-year-old man with chronic schizophrenia who developed a witnessed grand mal seizure after he had abruptly discontinued clozapine and benzodiazepam (BZD) treatment and concurrently reinitiated aripiprazole treatment as the result of an involuntary clinical error. The possible causes were explored, including clozapine-induced or withdrawal seizure, BZD withdrawal syndrome, psychogenic non-epileptic seizure, hyponatraemia, brain tumour and major physical illness, but none of the hypotheses can explain the seizure observed in this case. This second case is presented to corroborate a previous finding and emphasise the possibility of aripiprazole-induced seizure.