Rapid IV Keppra?
- David Arbona, MD
- Jun 18, 2024
- 1 min read
You can't push undiluted IV Keppra rapidly! 🤔💉⏱️
That's what they told us.
But it turns out you can!
A groundbreaking study delves into the rapid administration of undiluted IV levetiracetam (Keppra) for seizure patients in the ED.
Here's what they found:
🌟 Study Highlights:
➡ Conducted in a large community teaching hospital's ED.
➡ Prospective, observational study involving 250 patients.
➡ Examined the safety and efficacy of administering undiluted levetiracetam doses up to 4500 mg.
📊 Key Findings:
➡ Adverse events were rare, occurring in just 5.6% of patients, mainly as injection site reactions.
➡ Instances of hypotension, tachycardia, and hypertension were minimal.
➡ For patients actively seizing, 79% achieved seizure termination.
➡ Median time from medication order to completion of administration for actively seizing patients was 12 minutes.
💡 Conclusions:
➊ Rapid administration of undiluted IV levetiracetam is associated with few adverse events, suggesting a promising approach for quicker seizure control in emergency settings.
➋ Supports the safety of this method, potentially revolutionizing how we administer this crucial medication in urgent care.
🔗 Dive deeper into this study for more detailed insights and its implications for emergency medicine protocols.
