Date of Presentation
5-5-2022 12:00 AM
College
School of Osteopathic Medicine
Poster Abstract
Levetiracetam is a broad-spectrum antiseizure medication and is approved as adjunctive therapy to treat focal-onset seizures in children and adults with epilepsy. Levetiracetam has a wide margin of safety and patient-friendly pharmacokinetics that distinguish it from other currently available antiepileptic drugs.
Most common side effects are fatigue, somnolence, dizziness, and upper respiratory infection. Neuropsychiatric symptoms are reported. Psychotic symptoms, paranoid ideation, hallucinations, and behavioral problems may occur in adult and pediatric patients. Among all adverse effects, the rate of psychosis is very low and ranges from less than 1% to 1.4%. A retrospective study showed that this rate is higher in older patients than in the younger population.
Although the current literature provides cases of levetiracetam-induced psychosis, the onset of psychotic symptoms is one-week post drug administration. This case highlights that it is essential for psychiatrists to consider drug induced psychosis even when the onset of symptoms is not acutely after drug administration.
Keywords
Adult, Levetiracetam, Case Reports, Seizures, Substance-Induced Psychoses, Hallucinations, Psychiatry
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences | Pharmaceutical Preparations | Psychiatric and Mental Health | Psychiatry | Psychological Phenomena and Processes
Document Type
Poster
Included in
Pharmaceutical Preparations Commons, Psychiatric and Mental Health Commons, Psychiatry Commons, Psychological Phenomena and Processes Commons
Seizure to Drug Induced Schizophrenia: A Rare Case of Keppra-Induced Psychosis
Levetiracetam is a broad-spectrum antiseizure medication and is approved as adjunctive therapy to treat focal-onset seizures in children and adults with epilepsy. Levetiracetam has a wide margin of safety and patient-friendly pharmacokinetics that distinguish it from other currently available antiepileptic drugs.
Most common side effects are fatigue, somnolence, dizziness, and upper respiratory infection. Neuropsychiatric symptoms are reported. Psychotic symptoms, paranoid ideation, hallucinations, and behavioral problems may occur in adult and pediatric patients. Among all adverse effects, the rate of psychosis is very low and ranges from less than 1% to 1.4%. A retrospective study showed that this rate is higher in older patients than in the younger population.
Although the current literature provides cases of levetiracetam-induced psychosis, the onset of psychotic symptoms is one-week post drug administration. This case highlights that it is essential for psychiatrists to consider drug induced psychosis even when the onset of symptoms is not acutely after drug administration.