1985 Volume 17 Issue 3 Pages 203-209
The anticonvulsant activity of lidocaine (Ld) was reported by Bernhard and Colleagues in 1955.
It does not disturb the consciousness state, the effect is fast and it is maintainable with intravenous dripinfusion.
Ld was tried in 12 cases of status epilepticus (SE) including 3 newborn infants, and in 4 cases of intractable seizures (IS), and the effect and the toxicity were evaluated clinically.
Intravenous administration of Ld was stated in cases of SE with the initial dosis of 2mg/kg in 30 seconds, followed by continuous drip-infusion at the rate of 4mg/kg/hour.
In cases of IS, drip-infusion (2mg/kg/hour) was continued until the oral anticonvulsants and/or the ketogenic diet became clinically effective.
As a result of Ld treatment, SE was controlled in 11 cases out of 12, and 3 cases out of 4 of IS were kept in a non-convulsive state until seizures were controlled by therapy of the oral anticonvulsants and/or the ketogenic diet.
Furthermore, it is noteworthy that all cases of neonatal convulsions were controlled by the Ld therapy.
No abnormal changes were observed in pulse rate, blood pressure, ECG, liver function and renal function in any of these patients.
It was concluded that Ld could be recommended as an excellent and non-toxic anticonvulsive agent in various convulsive disorders.
