PHENYTOIN

Phenytoin is an antiepileptic drug occasionally utilized in the treatment of some seizure disorders also known as epilepsy. Seizure conditions affect the brain’s ability to transmit electrical impulses and regulate nerve activity. Seizures are abnormal electrical discharges in the brain that temporarily distort the normal message transmission to the body. They produce alterations in consciousness, cause odd rhythmic or repetitive movements, jerking or twitching of limbs, and/or can lead to convulsions (a sudden uncontrollable attack) that contract muscles throughout the body. This test measures the amount of phenytoin in the blood. In the blood, phenytoin is highly bound to serum proteins. The unbound or free is pharmacologically active. Phenytoin works by reducing the electrical conductance among brain cells, blocking excessive electrochemical activity occurring in the brain during a seizure. Phenytoin levels have to be observed as very low levels of phenytoin can lead to seizures in an affected person and high levels of phenytoin result in phenytoin toxicity.