Anticonvulsant

Anticonvulsant
A medication used to control (prevent) seizures (convulsions) or stop an ongoing series of seizures. There are a large number of anticonvulsant drugs today including, but not limited to: phenobarbital, phenytoin (Dilantin), carbamazepine, ethosuximide (Zarontin), clonazepam (Klonopin), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), and midazolam (Versed). Anticonvulsant drugs taken during pregnancy put the baby at risk of major birth defects — growth retardation, microcephaly (a small head) and deformities of the face and fingers — a condition known as anticonvulsant embryopathy.
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1. Preventing or arresting seizures. 2. An agent having such action. SYN: anticonvulsive, antiepileptic.

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an·ti·con·vul·sant -kən-'vəl-sənt also an·ti·con·vul·sive -siv n an anticonvulsant drug
anticonvulsant also anticonvulsive adj used or tending to control or prevent convulsions (as in epilepsy)

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n.
a drug that prevents or reduces the severity and frequency of seizures in various types of epilepsy; the term antiepileptic drug is now preferred since not all seizures involve convulsions. The choice of drug is dictated by the type of seizure and the patient's response, and the dosage must be adjusted carefully as individuals vary in their response to these drugs and side-effects may be troublesome. Commonly used antiepileptic drugs include carbamazepine, lamotrigine, phenytoin, and sodium valproate; topiramate, gabapentin, vigabatrin, oxcarbazepine, and levetiracetam are newer drugs. Phenobarbital is no longer commonly prescribed.

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an·ti·con·vul·sant (an″te-) (an″ti-kən-vulґsənt) 1. preventing or relieving convulsions. 2. an agent that prevents or relieves convulsions.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • anticonvulsant — [an΄tīkən vul′sənt] adj. able to inhibit or control convulsions or seizures: also anticonvulsive n. such a substance or drug …   English World dictionary

  • Anticonvulsant — The anticonvulsants, also called antiepileptic drugs (abbreviated AEDs ), are a diverse group of pharmaceuticals used in the treatment of epileptic seizures. Anticonvulsants are also increasingly being used the treatment of bipolar disorder,… …   Wikipedia

  • anticonvulsant — also anticonvulsive adjective Date: 1734 used or tending to control or to prevent convulsions (as in epilepsy) • anticonvulsant also anticonvulsive noun …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • anticonvulsant — 1. noun An agent that prevents, stops, or lessens convulsions. 2. adjective Acting as an anticonvulsant …   Wiktionary

  • anticonvulsant — adjective preventing or reducing the severity of epileptic fits or other convulsions. noun an anticonvulsant drug …   English new terms dictionary

  • anticonvulsant — an•ti•con•vul•sant [[t]ˌæn ti kənˈvʌl sənt, ˌæn taɪ [/t]] adj. 1) pha med used to control or prevent convulsions 2) pha med an anticonvulsant drug or substance • Etymology: 1940–45 …   From formal English to slang

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