EMERGENCY TREATMENT OF STATUS EPILEPTICUS

Status epilepticus occurs in more than 50,000 people in the United Sta tes each year and should be considered a neurologic emergency. A varie ty of drugs are used to treat status epilepticus, including IV benzodi azepines, phenytoin, and barbiturates. They are all short of being ide al, primarily because of difficulties with administration or associate d toxicity. Fosphenytoin, a prodrug and phosphate ester of phenytoin, was developed to overcome the drawbacks associated with IV phenytoin. With its efficacy, safety, and ease of administration, fosphenytoin is a valuable option for the treatment of status epilepticus.