Cefepime: An underrecognized cause of nonconvulsive status epilepticus

✍ Scribed by Hady Lichaa; Jean-Sebastien Rachoin; Elizabeth Cerceo; Vijay Rajput; William Surkis

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 87 KB
• Volume: 5
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1553-5592
• DOI: 10.1002/jhm.408

✦ Synopsis

Hospitalized patients with sepsis or severe nosocomial infections are frequently treated empirically with broadspectrum antibiotics. Cefepime hydrochloride, a fourth-generation cephalosporin, is a common antibiotic of first choice. Its proconvulsant properties are well described in the literature, 1,2 but its importance as a potential cause of change in mental status is probably underestimated. We report a case of change in mental status related to nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) caused by the use of cefepime in an elderly, hospitalized patient. Our goal is to raise awareness about this uncommon and still underrecognized complication.