Intramuscular Midazolam Versus Intravenous Diazepam for Acute Seizure in Children

A seizure or convulsion is a time-limited, paroxysmal, change in motor activity and or behavior that results from electrical activity in the brain that is abnormal.1 The emergency department of a hospital is usually the place where children with seizures receive first treatment and medical support. Seizures make up about 1% of all emergency department visits for pediatric patients, and at least 5% of pediatric patients will have a seizure by the time they are 16 years old. Children younger than one year of age are commonly affected by new and unprovoked seizures.2 Seizures can result in continuous muscular activity, which leads to tissue breakdown because of anaerobic metabolism as well as decreasing oxygen and glucose to the brain causing brain ischemia and neuronal death. So, the seizures must be controlled rapidly to decrease the systemic as well as brain damage.3,4 First-line anticonvulsants for the treatment of acute seizures are benzodiazepines. Diazepam is frequently used for the treatment of seizures because it can be delivered either intravenously or rectally. It is lipophilic so does not have proper intramuscular absorption. Precious time is spent in getting intravenous access or per rectal catheterization. While midazolam, is a lipid-soluble benzodiazepine, rapidly absorbed after intramuscular (IM) injection.5,6 For managing seizure, the drug should be sufficiently potent to allow small volume and an administration that is quick, easy, and safe with quick action and little monitoring.7 Intramuscular midazolam meets these criteria and may be useful for the treatment of seizures, but more trials are needed to see the safety and efficacy of this therapy in the pediatric population.8 A major chunk of the seizures may occur out of the hospital. For the parents its frightening to see their kid in fits. Usually these parents immediately take their child to the nearby hospital or clinic. But it's not possible for all the parents, because in many areas health facilities are not present. Hence these patients are at increased risk for sustaining post ictal brain damage. There is a long-awaited wish that how to prevent this brain damage. A lot of options are tried nowadays and also in the past, like rectal diazepam, sublingual midazolam, but unfortunately most such options are not without risks.

The objective of this study was to compare the time taken by intramuscular midazolam to stop the seizure as compared to intravenous diazepam in emergency cases in the pediatric age group.