Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 12, 2026

Electrophoretic Delivery of γ-aminobutyric Acid GABA into Epileptic Focus Prevents Seizures in Mice
07:01

Electrophoretic Delivery of γ-aminobutyric Acid GABA into Epileptic Focus Prevents Seizures in Mice

Published on: May 16, 2019

9.7K

Changing antiepileptic drug use for seizures in US neonatal intensive care units from 2005 to 2014

K A Ahmad1,2, S J Desai3, M M Bennett4

  • 1Pediatrix Medical Group, San Antonio, TX, USA.

Journal of Perinatology : Official Journal of the California Perinatal Association
|November 11, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Phenobarbital remains the primary treatment for neonatal seizures, but levetiracetam use has significantly increased. This shift occurred without new efficacy data for antiepileptic drugs in neonates.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal neurology
  • Pediatric pharmacology
  • Clinical pharmacy

Background:

  • Neonatal seizures are a common critical care issue.
  • Antiepileptic drug (AED) use for neonatal seizures is prevalent.
  • Data on current AED trends in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe trends in AED exposure for neonatal seizures in US NICUs from 2005 to 2014.
  • To test the hypothesis of increasing levetiracetam exposure over the study period.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cohort study using the Pediatrix Medical Group Clinical Data Warehouse.
  • Analysis of deidentified data from 341 US NICUs (2005-2014).
  • Cohort included 9,134 infants with seizures treated with AEDs.

Main Results:

  • Phenobarbital was the most common AED (98% exposure).
  • Phenobarbital use declined from 99% to 96%; phenytoin decreased from 15% to 11%.
  • Levetiracetam exposure increased tenfold, from 1.4% to 14%, surpassing phenytoin.

Conclusions:

  • Phenobarbital remains dominant for neonatal seizures, but levetiracetam use has surged.
  • Levetiracetam is now the second most used AED in NICUs, replacing phenytoin.
  • These shifts in AED patterns occurred without new neonatal efficacy data.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Continuous Video Electroencephalogram during Hypoxia-Ischemia in Neonatal Mice09:29

Continuous Video Electroencephalogram during Hypoxia-Ischemia in Neonatal Mice

Published on: June 11, 2020

3.9K
Author Spotlight: Assessing the Feasibility of Using Amplitude-Integrated EEG During Neonatal Transport05:15

Author Spotlight: Assessing the Feasibility of Using Amplitude-Integrated EEG During Neonatal Transport

Published on: June 21, 2024

1.5K

Related Concept Videos

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview01:24

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease marked by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. These seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, leading to behavior, sensation, or consciousness alterations. They can also cause transient impairment of awareness, interfering with daily activities.
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
1.6K
Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators01:20

Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators

Ezocgabine or retigabine, an antiepileptic drug of remarkable efficacy, has revolutionized the management of seizures. It is a potassium channel activator, explicitly targeting the family of Q subtype potassium channels. It enhances the transmembrane potassium currents, regulating neuronal excitability. This action stabilizes the resting membrane potential, a pivotal factor in mitigating the hyperexcitability that characterizes epilepsy.
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...
892
Antiepileptic Drugs: Sodium Channel Blockers01:08

Antiepileptic Drugs: Sodium Channel Blockers

Antiepileptic drugs are specialized medications that prevent seizures in individuals diagnosed with epilepsy. These drugs primarily function by blocking the movement of sodium ions through channels in the neuronal membrane, inhibiting the repetitive firing of action potentials often associated with seizures.
Sodium channel blockers modulate ion channels, particularly voltage-gated sodium channels. They block only sodium ion movement.
Among the most commonly prescribed antiepileptic drugs are...
2.1K
Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators01:18

Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators

γ-aminobutyric acid or GABA, plays a pivotal role as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. GABA pathway potentiators, also known as GABAergic drugs, are a class of pharmaceutical agents designed to enhance the functioning of the GABAergic system. These medications primarily treat epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures.
The key GABA pathway potentiators used in epilepsy management are as follows.
Benzodiazepines are a well-known class of drugs used for...
1.5K
Antiepileptic Drugs: Calcium Channel Blockers01:17

Antiepileptic Drugs: Calcium Channel Blockers

Calcium channel blockers, a class of antiepileptic drugs, regulate the flow of calcium ions within neurons.
Calcium channel blockers exert their antiepileptic effects by targeting T-type calcium channels, which are integral to transmitting nerve signals in the central nervous system. These channels allow the passage of calcium ions, which are vital for neuronal communication. By inhibiting T-type calcium channels, calcium channel blockers effectively reduce the release of neurotransmitters and...
1.5K
Seizures: Classification01:13

Seizures: Classification

Epilepsy is primarily characterized by unpredictable seizures, either provoked by an identifiable factor, such as injury or illness, or unprovoked, occurring spontaneously without apparent cause.
Seizures are typically classified into two main categories: focal and generalized seizures.
Focal Seizures
Focal seizures originate from specific regions of the brain. These seizures are further sub-classified into two types:
2.0K