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Therapeutics
Benzodiazepines were as safe as and more effective than placebo for out-of-hospital status epilepticus

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebm.7.3.84

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    (2001) N Engl J Med 345, 631. Alldredge BK, Gelb AM, Isaacs SM, et al.. A comparison of lorazepam, diazepam, and placebo for the treatment of out-of-hospital status epilepticus.. Aug 30;. :. –7.
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 QUESTION: In patients with out-of-hospital status epilepticus, are benzodiazepines safer and more effective than placebo when given by paramedics for terminating the condition?

    Design

    Randomised {allocation concealed*}†, blinded {patients, clinicians, data collectors, and outcome assessors}†,* placebo controlled trial with follow up to time of arrival at the emergency department.

    Setting

    San Francisco, California, USA.

    Patients

    205 patients (258 enrollments) who were ≥ 18 years of age (mean age 51 y, 63% men, 50% white) and had an out-of-hospital diagnosis of status epilepticus. Exclusion criteria included pulse < 60 beats/minute, systolic blood pressure < 100 mm Hg, and a history of long-term use of or sensitivity to benzodiazepines. Only data from the first enrollment of each patient was …

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    Footnotes

    • ↵* See glossary.

    • ↵† Information provided by author.

    • Source of funding: National Institutes of Health.

    • For correspondence: Dr D H Lowenstein, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. daniel_lowenstein{at}hms.harvard.edu.