Seizures associated with recreational drug abuse.
We retrospectively identified 49 cases of recreational drug-induced seizures in 47 patients seen at the San Francisco General Hospital between 1975 and 1987. Most patients experienced a single generalized tonic-clonic seizure associated with acute drug intoxication, but 7 patients had multiple seizures and 2 patients developed status epilepticus. The recreational drugs implicated were cocaine (32 cases), amphetamine (11), heroin (7), and phencyclidine (4). A combination of drugs was responsible in 11 cases. Seizures occurred independent of the route of administration, and occurred in both first-time and chronic abusers. Ten patients (21%) reported having had prior seizures, all with a close temporal association with drug abuse. Other than 1 patient who developed prolonged status epilepticus that caused a fixed neurologic deficit, most patients had no obvious short-term neurologic sequelae.
Alldredge
B K
BK
Division of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of California, San Francisco.
Lowenstein
D H
DH
Simon
R P
RP
D000328:Adult; D000662:Amphetamines / Q000009:adverse effects; D003042:Cocaine / Q000009:adverse effects; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D003932:Heroin / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008238:Lysergic Acid Diethylamide / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000150:complications; D010622:Phencyclidine / Q000009:adverse effects; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced*; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000139:chemically induced; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D013997:Time Factors
D000662:Amphetamines; D004338:Drug Combinations; D003932:Heroin; D008238:Lysergic Acid Diethylamide; D003042:Cocaine; D010622:Phencyclidine