Magnesium Supplements Remarkably Decrease the Frequency of Pharmacologically Intractable Epileptic Seizures in Some Cases
Abstract number :
3.173
Submission category :
Clinical Epilepsy-Adult
Year :
2006
Submission ID :
6836
Source :
www.aesnet.org
Presentation date :
12/1/2006 12:00:00 AM
Published date :
Nov 30, 2006, 06:00 AM
Authors :
Nina Politzer, and Peter L. Carlen
In our tertiary care epilepsy clinic we have many pharmacologically intractable patients that are not surgical candidates, who have failed most antiepilepsy drugs. Magnesium is known to block seizures in eclampsia. It is anticonvulsant in several in vitro models, and its mechanisms of action include decreasing neuronal excitability by decreasing membrane surface charge and blocking NMDA receptors. Therefore we decided to administer magnesium supplements to these intractable patients., This observational study was designed as a preliminary unblinded test of the hypothesis that magnesium supplementation would decrease the frequency of intractable seizures. Patients were selected on the basis of having pharmacologically intractable seizures. Patients were followed as per their routinely booked clinic visits. They were asked to purchase over the counter magnesium supplements, with preference given to magnesium oxide, 420 mg., To date we have followed 20 patients taking magnesium supplements ranging from 250 mg od to 420 mg qid per day. No side effects have been noted to date from the magnesium administration. Five of the 20 patients reported greater than 50% reduction in seizure frequency, and 2 reported virtually no seizures without stressors or forgetting their medications. No patients reported worsening of seizures and some reported a calming effect, but no obvious seizure reduction., This safe and cheap additional pharmacotherapy deserves a serious double blinded trial in intractable epilepsy. There are many questions to be considered including the mechanism(s) of action, alterations in serum (and brain) magnesium, the best formulation (as a salt, as a chelate), the proper dosing, possible side effects, and the patient characteristics of responders and nonresponders.,
Clinical Epilepsy