Nonconvulsive Status Epilepticus Resulting from Benzodiazepine Withdrawal
Authors: Matthew J. Olnes, Amit Golding, Peter W. Kaplan
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2003)

Letters2 December 2003Nonconvulsive Status Epilepticus Resulting from Benzodiazepine WithdrawalMatthew J. Olnes, MD, PhD, Amit Golding, MD, PhD, and Peter W. Kaplan, MB, FRCPMatthew J. Olnes, MD, PhDFrom Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21224., Amit Golding, MD, PhDFrom Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21224., and Peter W. Kaplan, MB, FRCPFrom Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21224.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-139-11-200312020-00022 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Background: Nonconvulsive status epilepticus is rare but is a treatable cause of impaired consciousness. It can be precipitated by several toxic, metabolic, and epileptic triggers. Benzodiazepine withdrawal, known to precipitate seizures, rarely precipitates nonconvulsive status epilepticus. We describe a patient with nonconvulsive status epilepticus due to withdrawal of low-dose alprazolam.Case Report: A 64-year-old man with renal insufficiency and generalized anxiety disorder had been taking alprazolam, 1 mg, at night for several years but stopped the medication at his physician's direction. He had no history of seizures. He had stopped drinking many years previously and did not ...References1. Kaplan PW. Behavioral manifestations of nonconvulsive status epilepticus. Epilepsy Behav. 2002;3:122-139. [PMID: 12609414] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Kaplan PW. Nonconvulsive status epilepticus in the emergency room. Epilepsia. 1996;37:643-50. [PMID: 8681896] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Kaplan PW. Nonconvulsive status epilepticus. Semin Neurol. 1996;16:33-40. [PMID: 8879055] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Kaplan PW. Assessing the outcomes in patients with nonconvulsive status epilepticus: nonconvulsive status epilepticus is underdiagnosed, potentially overtreated, and confounded by comorbidity. J Clin Neurophysiol. 1999; 16:341-52; discussion 353. [PMID: 10478707] Google Scholar5. Fernandez-Torre JL. De novo absence status of late onset following withdrawal of lorazepam: a case report. Seizure. 2001;10:433-7. [PMID: 11700998] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. Thomas P, Beaumanoir A, Genton P, Dolisi C, Chatel M. De novo absence status of late onset: report of 11 cases. Neurology. 1992;42:104-10. [PMID: 1734289] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21224. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByBenzodiazepine Withdrawal Catatonia, Delirium, and Seizures in a Patient With Schizoaffective DisorderClinical Presentations of Nonconvulsive Status EpilepticusNonconvulsive status epilepticus in adults — insights into the invisibleClinical Reasoning: A 62-year-old woman with bizarre behavior and recurrent episodes of behavioral arrestNeuropsychiatric complications of epilepsyA Fatal Case of Benzodiazepine WithdrawalPsychosis of EpilepsyThe impact of early versus late anticonvulsant reduction after ketogenic diet initiation 2 December 2003Volume 139, Issue 11Page: 956-958KeywordsAttentionBehaviorBrain diseasesElectroencephalographyEpileptic seizuresMemoryMyoclonusNeuronsPerceptionStatus epilepticus ePublished: 2 December 2003 Issue Published: 2 December 2003 CopyrightCopyright © 2003 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...