Treatment of myoclonus

Myoclonus is a clinical term meaning a sudden, quick, involuntary muscle jerk, irregular or rhythmic, arising in the central nervous system. The most important initial step in the treatment of myoclonus is to try to subclassify the type of myoclonus and identify the underlying disease process. Metabolic derangements or other underlying conditions, if found, need to be treated. Offending drugs causing myoclonus should be removed. A number of different drugs have been used for the symptomatic control of myoclonus. They include sodium valproate, clonazepam, some other antiepileptic drugs, piracetam, and levetiracetam.