Why two anticonvulsant are using at same time

guest042302019, BSN, RN · Apr 19, 2012

Maybe the two drugs work more effectively as a pair. Like Tylenol and Hydrocodone, for instance. In the past, your patient may have tried one but hasn't managed well with just one. You could ask the doctor why your patient is on two. I bet the doctor has a decent answer for you about this. You could google it? We often see a pt with HTN having two antihypertensives and sometimes with a diuretic. It's very feasible to see multiple drugs for one disease. Good luck!

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Apr 19, 2012

What is citicholine (or is it citicoline)? I've never come across an anticonvulsant with that name.

MLB55 · Apr 19, 2012

Im not familiar with "citicholine", although a quick google search found its more for memory problems? I could be wrong. But, we use multiple seizure drugs all the time. There are different types of seizures and sometimes one med will not cover them all. We had a pt that was post op crani, rebled, evacuated and was kept intubated for seizures. She was seizing thru propofol (65mcgs/kg/min) Dilantin, and keppra. She was eventually put into a pentobarbital coma while we added phenobarbital and topamax. She eventually came out of pentobarbital while her other levels came up and follows commands x4 and extubated.

munch666nath · Apr 20, 2012

sorry for the spelling mistake its citicoline

canned_bread · Jul 14, 2012

Sometimes two anti-convulsants are used when one is not sufficient for adequate control. It is called an "adjunct".

By definition, an adjunct is: [TABLE=class: ts]

[TD][TABLE=class: ts]

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With hard to control seizures a doctor may place a patient on to two anti-convulsants. Most of the time mono-therapy (one drug) is enough to achieve control, but sometimes polypharmacy (more than one) is required.

Certain anti-convulsants cannot be used together. And of course the more medications someone is on the risk of side-effects increase.[/TD]

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canned_bread · Jul 14, 2012

Dear friends i am a new staff in neuro department i have doubt.Why should we use two anticonvulsant at same time.Here i happened to see citicholine and phenytoin are using for a cva patient.Whether this is recommandable

Oh, and Citicoline is NOT an anti-convulsant. They are two seperate drugs. Phenytoin is an anticonvulsant. Citicoline is an nootropic. It has neuroprotective effects.