Rimantadine and Seizures

Excerpt

To the editor: The withdrawal of anticonvulsant drugs in patients free of seizures for more than 2 years has been recommended recently (1). Because of similar concerns about the long-term toxic effects of the anticonvulsant drugs, we have begun to withdraw treatment from selected patients in nursing homes whom we have seen at our hospital for chronic diseases. During a recent prospective, double-blind trial of rimantadine hydrochloride to prevent influenza A infection, two patients developed seizures. We emphasize the risk of influenza chemoprophylaxis for induction of seizures in the seizure-prone patient.

A 39-year-old man with cerebral palsy and mental retardation