Poisoning with Antiepileptic Drugs

Antiepileptic drugs are used for the treatment and prevention of epileptic attacks, chronic pain syndrome, bipolar disorder, and migraine. Although they are quite a heterogeneous group of medicines, they have certain common features which are also encountered in cases of poi­soning. The clinical presentation of antiepileptic drug poisoning involves some degree of cen­tral nervous system depression, cardiac arrhythmia and seizures. Its treatment is symptomatic and includes abundant gastrointestinal tract decontamination. One must be prepared to treat convulsions and even status epilepticus, and benzodiazepines are the drugs of choice.