Single-Substance Exposures Causing Seizures Increased in U.S. Children, 2009 to 2023
FRIDAY, Oct. 18, 2024 -- Seizures associated with pediatric single-substance exposures are steadily increasing, according to a study presented at the European Emergency Medicine Congress, held from Oct. 12 to 16 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Rita Farah, Ph.D., from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, and colleagues assessed characteristics of 30,985 pediatric single-substance exposures that resulted in seizures in patients younger than 20 years using data reported to the U.S. National Poison Data System (2009 through 2023).
The researchers found that the number of exposures with seizures increased from 1,418 cases in 2009 to 2,749 cases in 2023, with an average of a 5 percent yearly increase. The number of exposures with seizure doubled during the study period in patients aged 6 to 12 years and 13 to 19 years, with a 6 percent yearly increase.
The increase in exposures with seizures was in part driven by diphenhydramine-related exposures, which increased from 85 cases in 2009 to 404 cases in 2023. Bupropion-related exposures increased from 162 in 2013 to 431 in 2023. The two most frequently reported substance exposures with seizure between 2009 and 2012 were tramadol and diphenhydramine, but from 2013 to 2023, bupropion and diphenhydramine were the first and second most frequently reported substances. From 2012 to 2015, synthetic cannabinoids ranked third. For status epilepticus, bupropion, diphenhydramine, synthetic cannabinoids, and amphetamines were the most frequently reported substances.
“Preventative measures need to be instituted to prevent a further rise,” the authors wrote.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Read this next
Periodic Limb Movements Occur Frequently in Persons With Epilepsy
MONDAY, Sept. 22, 2025 -- Periodic limb movements (PLMs) occur frequently among persons with epilepsy (PWE) but do not occur more often than among those with obstructive sleep...
Slightly More Than Half of Pregnant Women With Epilepsy See Neurologist in Year Predelivery
FRIDAY, Sept. 19, 2025 -- Just over half (55 percent) of pregnant women with epilepsy (WWE) saw a neurologist in the year prior to delivery, according to a study presented at the...
Treatment Response to Antiseizure Medications Can Take More Than One Year
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 27, 2025 -- Many people with newly diagnosed focal episodes take more than one year and more than one antiseizure medication (ASM) to become seizure-free...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.