For which of the following seizures would carbamazepine, phenytoin, and primidone be prescribed as the appropriate drug treatment for prevention?
Complex paial
Simple paial
status epilepticus
Generalized tonic clonic
Generalized tonic-clonic seizures are convulsive and can be the result of paial seizures. Carbamazepine, phenytoin, and primidone are among the drugs recommended for generalized seizures. Primidone is a prototype deoxy barbiturate. Phenytoin is a hydantoin and these drugs are highly fat soluble. They stabilize membranes by decreasing Na+ conductance during the period of high-frequency firing. Ref: Greenberg D.A., Aminoff M.J., Simon R.P. (2012). Chapter 12. Seizures & Syncope. In D.A. Greenberg, M.J. Aminoff, R.P. Simon (Eds), Clinical Neurology, 8e.