Emergency treatment of status epilepticus.

Status epilepticus occurs in more than 50,000 people in the United States each year and should be considered a neurologic emergency. A variety of drugs are used to treat status epilepticus, including i.v. benzodiazepines, phenytoin, and barbiturates. They are all short of being ideal, primarily because of difficulties with administration or associated toxicity. Fosphenytoin, a prodrug and phosphate ester of phenytoin, was developed to overcome the drawbacks associated with i.v. phenytoin. With its efficacy, safety, and ease of administration, fosphenytoin is a valuable option for the treatment of status epilepticus.