ABSTRACT
Drug-related illness accounts for up to 5% of hospital admissions and frequently complicates or prolongs hospital stay. The mechanisms by which drugs induce seizures are varied and include direct neuronal membrane effects and altered neurotransmitter activity. In this regard, convulsant drugs may either increase excitatory neurotransmission or conversely, decrease inhibitory neurotransmission within the brain. Penicillin has been found to have a direct, dose-dependent convulsant effect in several animal species and has been used as an experimental model for multifocal and generalized epilepsie. Risk factors for penicillin-induced seizures in man include the specific penicillin derivative, dose, renal function, route, and schedule of administration. Antidepressant agents are a commonly prescribed class of drugs with a wide range of adverse effects, both in therapeutic and toxic doses. Chlorpromazine is the antipsychotic drug most frequently associated with seizures. Neurologic adverse effects of lithium therapy include ataxia, dysarthria, impaired cognitive function, confusion, disorientation, and myoclonus.
