Side Effects Of Anticonvulsants

Dizziness

Both ataxia and dizziness are some of the most common anticonvulsant side effects. Because anticonvulsants can have a significant impact on balance, doctors should use caution and careful monitoring when prescribing them to older patients. Studies have shown the balance-related side effects can become worse when the dosage is increased, and it's common for patients to experience adverse events. Feelings of dizziness and unsteadiness are common.

One study found ataxia symptoms in fifty-four percent of institutionalized patients who had epilepsy. In another study of epileptic patients at least seventy years old, eighty percent of those taking anticonvulsants had falls and balance disorders. Phenytoin can cause dizziness and imbalance in a large number of patients. Despite this, it remains the most commonly prescribed anticonvulsant for adults in nursing homes. Six percent of individuals confined to nursing homes take phenytoin. Carbamazepine can cause increased dizziness as dosages increase. There haven't been many studies establishing why anticonvulsants cause issues with balance and dizziness, and further data is necessary to determine which drugs cause which symptoms of balance problems.

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Tremors

Many medications have the potential to cause tremors, anticonvulsants being one of them. These side effects are called drug-induced tremors. A tremor occurs when part of an individual's body undergoes uncontrolled, rhythmic movement. The trembling is usually fast and happens in cycles of between six and ten seconds. In addition to anticonvulsants, certain antidepressants and antipsychotics can cause tremors to develop. The majority of tremors develop in the hands, though other places they occur include the face, head, arms, trunk, vocal cords, and legs. Patients might not always experience the tremors, though when they do, the tremors tend to occur within an hour of taking the medication. Tremors can become worse with stress, and they tend to stop during sleep. In addition to trembling in the body, patients might have shakiness in their voice. Treatment of tremors usually involves stopping the medication causing them, and the doctor might switch their patient to a different anticonvulsant instead. Patients might still experience tremor symptoms for a few months after stopping the medication. For some, the tremor doesn't fully subside until eighteen months later.

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