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Prevalence and correlates of epileptic seizure in substance-abusing subjects |
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| Authors: | Surendra K. Mattoo md Shubh M. Singh md Rahul Bhardwaj md Suresh Kumar md dnb Debasish Basu md dnb Parmanand Kulhara md frcpsych |
| Affiliation: | Drug De-addiction and Treatment Center, Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh,;Department of Psychiatry, Gian Sagar Medical College, Banur, Punjab, India and;Campbelltown Hospital, Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia |
| Abstract: | Life-time prevalence of epileptic seizures was assessed in 626 consecutive patients treated for substance abuse. Seizures were reported in 8.63% (9.2% in alcohol abusers, 12.5% in opioid abusers). A total of 64.8% of the seizures were associated with substance use. These occurred during withdrawal in the alcohol cohort and during intoxication with dextropropoxyphene and withdrawal from heroin or poppy husk in the opioid cohort. Results indicate that seizures may be more common in older patients with longer duration of dependence among those abusing alcohol. |
| Keywords: | alcohol opioids prevalence seizures substance abuse |