MEDICAL-MANAGEMENT OF ORGANOPHOSPHATE-INDUCED SEIZURES

Recent studies concerning management of soman-induced seizures are rev iewed. While drugs classically used against epilepsy in hospital appea r ineffective against soman, muscarinic receptor blockers are shown to be able to prevent or stop seizures within the first 5 min after thei r onset. Benzodiazepine could also be considered as an emergency treat ment useful during the first 10 min of seizure. Comparatively NMDA ant agonists appear to be able to terminate soman-induced seizures even if the treatment is delayed after 40 min of epileptic activity. Drugs wi th both antimuscarinic and anti-NMDA properties may represent the most adequate pharmacological treatment to treat soman intoxication. Howev er, the results obtained until now with these drugs must be completed in relation with their possible efficacy after i.m. administration. Pr opositions for future studies are reviewed. ((C) Elsevier, Paris).