Phenobarbital and Epilepsy

Physicians define epilepsy as a seizure disorder. Doctors diagnose epilepsy when a person experiences two or more "unprovoked seizures" which last from a few seconds to a few minutes, according to the Epilepsy Foundation. "A seizure happens when a brief, strong surge of electrical activity affects part or all of the brain. One in 10 adults will have a seizure sometime during their life," the Epilepsy Foundation states. Phenobarbital is a medication used to treat seizures.

History

• Several medications are used to control seizures in nearly three million people who suffer from some form of epilepsy. Phenobarbital, the oldest medication in use for seizures, is used to treat tonic-clonic convulsions, simple and complex partial seizures in children and adults, or myclonic-type seizures, according to the Epilepsy Foundation. While there is no cure for epilepsy, medications control seizures fully in 50 percent of patients, the foundation says.

Identification

• Seizures occur when the electrical connections in the brain short-circuit or malfunction; they are categorized based on where they occur in the brain. "Instead of discharging electrical energy in a controlled manner, the brain cells keep firing," the foundation explains, which causes a surge of energy that makes muscles contract and sometimes causes unconsciousness.

Types

• Tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizures affect the entire brain and occur in both hemispheres, whereas a partial complex or simple seizure is localized to a specific part, such as in the temporal lobe. A myclonic seizure is "characterized by a brief jerking movement that arises from the central nervous system, usually involving both sides of the body," according to HealthCommunities.com.

Prevention/Solution

• Medications are dispensed based on seizure type. Phenobarbital was the first anti-epileptic drug, used for the first time in 1912. Physicians typically dispense phenobarbital for partial and generalized seizures or when second-generation drugs fail to completely control seizures. Phenobarbital comes in tablets from 15 mg to 10 mg and is also available as a liquid.

Side Effects

• According to Neurology Channel, drug levels need to be checked often to ensure the proper therapeutic level--15mg to 40mg/L--is sustained. A missed dose can trigger a seizure, or alternately higher dosing levels can increase side effects, such as drowsiness, irritability or cognitive impairment.