Menu Close

What does Dilantin do to your body?

Admin

What does Dilantin do to your body?

Dilantin (phenytoin) is an anti-epileptic drug, also called an anticonvulsant. It works by slowing down impulses in the brain that cause seizures. Dilantin is used to control seizures. Phenytoin does not treat all types of seizures, and your doctor will determine if it is the right medicine for you.

What are the side effects of long term Dilantin use?

Long-term use of phenytoin also has been found to cause weakening of the bones. Bone disease is even more likely if a combination of seizure medicines is used….The most common ones affect appearance:

  • overgrowth of the gums.
  • excessive hair on the face or body.
  • acne.
  • coarseness of facial features.

How safe is Dilantin?

DILANTIN may cause other serious side effects including: Liver problems. Low blood count which could increase your chance of getting infections, bruising, bleeding and increased fatigue. Softening of your bones (osteopenia, osteoporosis, and osteomalacia) can cause your bones to break (fractures).

What are toxic effects of Dilantin?

The neurotoxic effects are concentration dependent and can range from mild nystagmus to ataxia, slurred speech, vomiting, lethargy and eventually coma and death. Paradoxically, at very high concentrations, phenytoin can lead to seizures. Symptoms correlate well with the unbound plasma phenytoin concentration.

Does Dilantin affect memory?

All drugs that depress signaling in the CNS can cause memory loss. Alternatives: Many patients with seizures do well on phenytoin (Dilantin), which has little if any impact on memory.

Can Dilantin cause heart problems?

Phenytoin is a frequently used antiepileptic medication for the treatment of seizure disorder. The common side effects include nausea, rash, gingival hypertrophy, osteomalacia, and confusion. The potential to cause cardiac rhythm disturbances, hypotension, and cardiac arrest is rarely recognized.

Can DILANTIN cause heart problems?

What are the symptoms of too much DILANTIN?

Symptoms

  • Coma.
  • Confusion.
  • Staggering gait or walk (early sign)
  • Unsteadiness, uncoordinated movements (early sign)
  • Involuntary, jerky, repeated movement of the eyeballs called nystagmus (early sign)
  • Seizures.
  • Tremor (uncontrollable, repeated shaking of the arms or legs)
  • Sleepiness.

Can Dilantin cause memory problems?

What are the symptoms of too much Dilantin?

What drugs should not be taken with phenytoin?

Drugs that increase phenytoin blood levels and toxicity include:

  • acute alcohol intake,
  • amiodarone (Coradone),
  • chlordiazepoxide,
  • cimetidine (Tagamet),
  • diazepam (Valium, Diastat),
  • dicumarol,
  • disulfiram,
  • estrogens,

Can DILANTIN cause kidney problems?

DILANTIN can cause a type of serious allergic reaction that may affect different parts of the body such as your liver, kidneys, blood, heart, skin or other parts of your body. These can be very serious and cause death.