Staccato Alprazolam Safe and Effective for Teens with Epilepsy

Source: Epilepsia

Summary

A study was conducted to examine how well a new inhalation device called Staccato® alprazolam works in adolescents aged 12 to 17 with epilepsy. The device delivers a medication called alprazolam quickly through the lungs. Fourteen young patients with different types of epilepsy participated in this trial, where they received a single dose of 2 mg of Staccato alprazolam after fasting overnight.

The results showed that the medication was absorbed quickly into the bloodstream, with most patients reaching peak levels of the drug within about 10.5 minutes. The study found that the way the drug was processed in the body was similar for adolescents of different weights. While some patients reported mild side effects like dizziness and cough, there were no serious adverse events, indicating that the medication was generally well tolerated.

This research is important because it helps to establish that Staccato alprazolam can be safely used in adolescents with epilepsy. The findings suggest that the dosing for adolescents can be similar to that for adults, which may simplify treatment decisions. However, the study involved a small number of participants, so more research is needed to confirm these results and ensure that the treatment is effective and safe for a larger group of young people with epilepsy.

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