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Oromucosal midazolam: a guide to its use in paediatric patients with prolonged acute convulsive seizures

Lesley J Scott1, Katherine A Lyseng-Williamson, Karly P Garnock-Jones

  • 1Adis, Auckland, New Zealand. demail@springer.com

CNS Drugs
|August 30, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Oromucosal midazolam effectively treats prolonged seizures in children, offering a more convenient alternative to rectal diazepam. This benzodiazepine treatment was found to be as effective as intravenous diazepam in clinical trials.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Pediatrics
  • Neurology

Background:

  • Acute, prolonged, convulsive seizures in pediatric patients require effective and accessible treatment.
  • Rectal diazepam has been the standard treatment but presents administration challenges.
  • Oromucosal midazolam (Buccolam™) offers a new therapeutic option for pediatric seizure management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of oromucosal midazolam in treating acute, prolonged, convulsive seizures in children.
  • To compare oromucosal midazolam with established treatments like rectal and intravenous diazepam.
  • To highlight the advantages of oromucosal midazolam over existing therapies.

Main Methods:

  • Clinical trials involving pediatric patients aged 3 months to <18 years with acute, prolonged, convulsive seizures.
  • Administration of oromucosal midazolam via the oral mucosa.
  • Comparison of seizure treatment outcomes with rectal diazepam and intravenous diazepam.

Main Results:

  • Oromucosal midazolam demonstrated at least equivalent efficacy to rectal diazepam.
  • Efficacy of oromucosal midazolam was comparable to intravenous diazepam.
  • The treatment was generally well tolerated in the pediatric population.

Conclusions:

  • Oromucosal midazolam is an effective treatment for prolonged seizures in pediatric patients.
  • It offers a more convenient and socially acceptable administration route compared to rectal diazepam.
  • This formulation provides a valuable alternative for managing pediatric convulsive seizures.

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