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Disulfiram-induced epileptic seizures.
Violeta Nogueira1, Mafalda Azevedo Mendes2, Inês Pereira2
1Unidade de Alcoologia e Novas Dependências, Centro Hospitalar Psiquiatrico de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal violetanogueira@chpl.min-saude.pt.
BMJ Case Reports
|March 18, 2021
Summary
Disulfiram, used for alcohol dependence, can rarely cause seizures. This case report details a patient experiencing generalized tonic-clonic seizures while abstinent from alcohol during disulfiram treatment.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Disulfiram is a long-standing medication for alcohol dependence.
- It functions as an aversive therapeutic agent.
- While generally safe without alcohol, rare complications can occur.
Observation:
- A 47-year-old male patient was hospitalized.
- The patient experienced two episodes of generalized tonic-clonic seizures.
- These seizures occurred during disulfiram treatment, while the patient was abstinent from alcohol.
Findings:
- Epileptic seizure induction is a rare adverse effect of disulfiram.
- The exact mechanism causing disulfiram-induced seizures remains unknown.
- This case highlights a potential neurological complication of disulfiram therapy.
Implications:
- Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanism of disulfiram-induced seizures.
- Clinicians should be aware of the potential for rare neurological adverse effects.
- This case contributes to understanding the safety profile of disulfiram in alcohol dependence treatment.
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