Efficacy of Fluoxetine in Reducing Ictal Hypoventilation in Patients With Partial Epilepsy
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2012-06-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of fluoxetine on breathing mechanisms
during seizures. Patients with partial epilepsy commonly have changes in their breathing
mechanisms during seizures. These changes may increase the risk of serious side effects from
seizures, including sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP), which affects 2-10 per 1000
patients with epilepsy each year. Fluoxetine (Prozac) may help to stimulate breathing through
its actions in the brain and has been shown to improve breathing changes seen with seizures
in certain animals. Fluoxetine is in a class of medications called selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It works by increasing the amount of serotonin, a natural
substance in the brain, at synapses, the junctions at which nerve cells in the brain
communicate. Fluoxetine is currently approved by the United States Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with Major Depressive Disorder, Obsessive
Compulsive Disorder, Bulimia Nervosa, Panic Disorder and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.