pharmaceutical agents associated with seizures; drugs that lower seizure threshold

Etiology: 1) antipsychotics - lithium - phenothiazines - clozapine 2) antidepressants - tricyclic antidepressants - bupropion 3) antihistamines - diphenhydramine (low risk) 4) analeptics - amphetamines - theophylline 5) analgesics 1) meperidine (Demerol) - tramadol (Ultram) 6) antibiotics* - penicillins - nalidixic acid - isoniazid - quinolones - cephalosporins - carbapenem 7) antineoplastic agents - vincristine 8) antiarrhythmic agents - lidocaine 9) antiasthmatic agents - theophylline 10) bowel preparations - sodium phosphate (electrolyte imbalance, use PEG) 11) drugs of abuse - cocaine 12) cholinergic agents - physostigmine 13) drug withdrawal - barbiturate - benzodiazepine - opiates - baclofen - ethanol * preferred antibiotic piperacillin tazobactam (Zosyn)

References

Medications Can Cause Seizures Prescriber's Letter 10(3):16 2003 Detail-Document#: 190320 (subscription needed) http://www.prescribersletter.com