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Donepezil was withdrawn, and no other drug treatment was given. Blood analysis was normal, and a computerized tomographic (CT) scan showed a mild degree of cortical atrophy with no structural lesions. His only other medication was aspirin 100 mg/day. Ī patient with mild Alzheimer’s disease taking donepezil, 5 mg/day for 2 weeks and then 10 mg/day for 23 days, was admitted with convulsions.Baclofen should probably be considered at an early stage, as it might be the most effective anticonvulsant in such cases.Ĭonvulsions have been reported during treatment with donepezil. The first priority in such a case is to rule out other causes, such as infections, electrolyte disturbances, and intracranial pathology, and to prevent secondary brain damage due to prolonged convulsions.
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In conclusion, baclofen withdrawal should be suspected if postnatal convulsions occur after intrauterine exposure. The half-life of baclofen in adults is 3–6 hours, and adults usually become symptomatic 24–72 hours after baclofen is reduced or withdrawn. On the other hand, the authors stated that the mother had noted some abnormal movements starting on the second day postpartum, which might have represented the first signs of withdrawal. This is of course speculative nothing is known about baclofen pharmacokinetics in neonates.
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In discussing the possible mechanisms of the delayed onset of convulsions the authors assumed that a secondary increase in baclofen serum concentration due to redistribution might have prevented earlier onset of the withdrawal symptoms. An MRI scan of the brain on day 17 suggested a hypoxic ischemic insult in the perinatal period, which was considered to have been secondary to convulsions.Īs convincingly presented by the authors, baclofen withdrawal was the most likely explanation for the convulsions. The baclofen was then slowly withdrawn over 2 weeks. The baby was given baclofen 0.25 mg/kg qds and 30 minutes after the first dose the convulsions stopped. At that time baclofen withdrawal was suspected, as the paraplegic mother had been taking baclofen 20 mg tds throughout pregnancy. Electroencephalography 4 days later showed prolonged episodes of epileptic activity. A variety of investigations all gave negative results.
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