Respiratory depression in children receiving diazepam for acute seizures: a prospective study - PubMed

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Respiratory depression in children receiving diazepam for acute seizures: a prospective study

E Norris et al. Dev Med Child Neurol. 1999 May.

Free article

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of respiratory depression following the use of diazepam in children presenting with seizures. All children presenting with seizures to a children's A & E department over a period of 9 months were studied prospectively. Respiratory depression was defined as a fall in respiratory rate or oxygen saturation, or apnoea resulting in ventilation or resuscitation with bag-and-mask oxygen. There were 130 patient episodes involving 97 children who received treatment for their seizures before admission and/or in the A & E department. Administration of diazepam resulted in 122 patient episodes. The route of administration was rectal in 91 episodes, intravenous in 12 episodes, and both rectal and intravenous in 19 episodes. Eleven children had respiratory depression in relation to diazepam administration. Eight of these children required ventilation. The overall incidence of respiratory depression following the use of diazepam was 9%. The incidence of respiratory depression following diazepam given intravenously or rectally is high. The use of diazepam as first-line therapy for children with acute seizures needs to be reviewed.

Comment in

• 'Respiratory depression in children receiving diazepam for acute seizures: a prospective study'.

  Kriel RL, Cloyd JC, Pellock JM. Kriel RL, et al. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2000 Jun;42(6):429-30. doi: 10.1017/s001216220023079x. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2000. PMID: 10875533 No abstract available.

• Use of rectal diazepam in the community.

  Mackereth S. Mackereth S. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2000 Nov;42(11):785. doi: 10.1017/s0012162200211456. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2000. PMID: 11104353 No abstract available.

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