[Epileptic seizures and vardenafil]

Rev Neurol (Paris). 2006 May;162(5):651-2.
[Article in French]

Koussa S, Hage Chahine S, Tohm? A, Riachi M.

Service de Neurologie, H?pital H?tel-Dieu de France, Universit? Saint Joseph, Beyrouth, Liban. koussalam@hotmail.com

INTRODUCTION: Epileptic seizures complicating treatment with selective inhibitors of phosphodiesterase type 5 are scarcely reported. CASE REPORT: A previously non-epileptic 78-year-old patient presented with a partial epileptic seizure following oral intake, for the second time, of 10mg of vardenafil (Levitra). The brain MRI failed to show any preexisting lesion. To our knowledge, only 2 cases of generalized tonic-clonic seizures induced by sildenafil (Viagra) use have been reported. In our patient, the seizure could be due to the epileptogenic potential of the drug or to its vascular complications. CONCLUSION: Further studies are needed to elucidate the association of phosphodiesterase inhibitors use and epileptic seizures.

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