The repetitive seizures may occur serially or in clusters and may last minutes to hours. Acute repetitive seizures may require emergency treatment, especially if they progress to status epilepticus, a potentially fatal condition in which a seizure is sustained. Seizures occur as a result of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Epilepsy, a common neurological disorder marked by repeated seizures, affects more than 2 million Americans. Benzodiazepines, a class of drugs that includes diazepam and lorazepam, are generally agreed to be the treatment of choice for acute repetitive seizures.
Informed caregivers are often able to recognize the onset of a seizure cluster.
Now, with this preparation, they can be trained to administer treatment privately, quickly, and safely. The study was a randomized, double-blind study of 91 individuals with acute repetitive seizures. It was conducted by investigators collaborating at ten university medical centers nationwide. A frequently reported side effect was sleepiness, common to most medicines used to treat epilepsy. In addition to the new gel formulation, administered with an applicator, diazepam is also sold in oral form.