• J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Feb 2024

    Subcutaneous Bolus Infusions of Undiluted Levetiracetam for End-of-Life Patients: Two Cases.

    • Kenneth Skov and Astrid Lyager.
    • Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark.
    • J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother. 2024 Feb 12: 151-5.

    AbstractWe present two cases, in which end-of-life patients were inadvertently treated with bolus infusions of undiluted subcutaneous levetiracetam. The patients were treated for three and four days respectively. In both cases, the course of treatment was uneventful. Especially, no seizures, nor local irritation was observed. Administration of undiluted subcutaneous levetiracetam as intermittent bolus infusions by hand holds alluring properties for end-of-life patients. Amongst others reducing patient discomfort, increasing freedom of movement, and accessibility to essential seizure prophylaxis by eliminating the need for a syringe driver, thereby helping accommodate many patients wish to die in their own home. However, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety, including the optimum dilution and administration time of the subcutaneous preparation remains to be determined in clinically controlled trials.

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