phenytoin
Sign in to savePhenytoin (PHT), sold under the brand name Dilantin among others, is an anti-seizure medication. It is useful for the prevention of tonic-clonic seizures (also known as grand mal seizures) and focal seizures, but not absence seizures. The intravenous form, fosphenytoin, is used for status epilepticus that does not improve with benzodiazepines. It may also be used for certain heart arrhythmias or neuropathic pain. It can be taken intravenously or by mouth. The intravenous form generally begins working within 30 minutes and is effective for roughly 24 hours. Blood levels can be measured to deter
Key facts
- Drug.Verifiedfields
- changed
- Drug.Watchedfields
- changed
- Drug.verifiedrevid
- 457457901
- Drug.image
- Phenytoin structure.svg
- Drug.image_class
- skin-invert-image
- Drug.alt
- Structural formula of phenytoin
- Drug.width
- 150
- Drug.image2
- Phenytoin 3D ball.png
- Drug.image_class2
- bg-transparent
- Drug.alt2
- Ball-and-stick model of the phenytoin molecule
- Drug.width2
- 160
- Drug.tradename
- Dilantin, others
- Drug.MedlinePlus
- a682022
- Drug.DailyMedID
- Phenytoin
- Drug.pregnancy_AU
- D
- Drug.pregnancy_category
- Toxic to reproduction
- Drug.routes_of_administration
- By mouth, intravenous
- Drug.class
- Anticonvulsant
via Wikipedia infobox
Research
19,745 papers- Phenytoin - An anti-seizure drug: Overview of its chemistry, pharmacology and toxicology.Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association · 2020
- Phenytoin's Pharmacological Interactions with Medicinal Herbs: A Review.Die Pharmazie · 2023
- Phenytoin: neuroprotection or neurotoxicity?Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2017
- Phenytoin-folic acid interaction.The Annals of pharmacotherapy · 1995
- Phenytoin revisited.Clinical therapeutics · 1984
via PubMed
Article
27 sectionsContents
- Medical uses
- Seizures
- Other
- Special considerations
- Side effects
- Heart and blood vessels
- Neurological
- Blood
- Pregnancy
- Cancer
- Mouth
- Skin
- Immune system
- Psychological
- Bones
- Interactions
- Pharmacology
- Mechanism of action
- Pharmacokinetics
- History
- Society and culture
- Economics
- Brand names
- Research
- References
- Further reading
- External links
Phenytoin (PHT), sold under the brand name Dilantin among others, is an anti-seizure medication. It is useful for the prevention of tonic-clonic seizures (also known as grand mal seizures) and focal seizures, but not absence seizures. The intravenous form, fosphenytoin, is used for status epilepticus that does not improve with benzodiazepines. It may also be used for certain heart arrhythmias or neuropathic pain. It can be taken intravenously or by mouth. The intravenous form generally begins working within 30 minutes and is effective for roughly 24 hours. Blood levels can be measured to determine the proper dose.
Common side effects include nausea, stomach pain, loss of appetite, poor coordination, increased hair growth, and enlargement of the gums. Potentially serious side effects include sleepiness, self harm, liver problems, bone marrow suppression, low blood pressure, toxic epidermal necrolysis, and atrophy of the cerebellum. There is evidence that use during pregnancy results in abnormalities in the baby. It appears to be safe to use when breastfeeding. Alcohol may interfere with the medication's effects.