Editing Anticonvulsant (section)

=== Benzodiazepines ===
{{main|Benzodiazepine}}
The benzodiazepines are a class of [[medication|drugs]] with [[hypnotic]], [[anxiolytic]], anticonvulsive, [[amnesia|amnestic]] and [[muscle relaxant]] properties. Benzodiazepines act as a central nervous system depressant. The relative strength of each of these properties in any given benzodiazepine varies greatly and influences the indications for which it is prescribed. Long-term use can be problematic due to the development of [[drug tolerance|tolerance]] to the anticonvulsant effects and [[Substance use disorder|dependency]].<ref>{{cite journal |author=Browne TR |date=May 1976 |title=Clonazepam. A review of a new anticonvulsant drug |volume=33 |issue=5 |pages=326–32 |pmid=817697 |journal=Arch Neurol |doi=10.1001/archneur.1976.00500050012003}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Isojärvi |first=JI |author2=Tokola RA |date=December 1998 |title=Benzodiazepines in the treatment of epilepsy in people with intellectual disability |journal=J Intellect Disabil Res |volume=42 |issue=1 |pages=80–92 |pmid=10030438}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |journal=Epilepsia |date=May–Jun 1986 |volume=27 |issue=3 |pages=276–85 |title=Nonconvulsive status epilepticus|last2=Svanborg |first2=E |last3=Wedlund |first3=JE |pmid=3698940 |last1=Tomson |first1=T |doi=10.1111/j.1528-1157.1986.tb03540.x|s2cid=26694857 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Djurić |first=M |author2=Marjanović B |author3=Zamurović D  |date=May–Jun 2001 |title=[West syndrome--new therapeutic approach] |journal=Srp Arh Celok Lek |volume=129 |issue=1 |pages=72–7 |pmid=15637997}}</ref> Of many drugs in this class, only a few are used to treat epilepsy:
* [[Clobazam]] (1979). Notably, used on a short-term basis around menstruation in women with [[catamenial epilepsy]].
* [[Clonazepam]] (1974).
* [[Clorazepate]] (1972).

The following benzodiazepines are used to treat [[status epilepticus]]:
* [[Diazepam]] (1963). Can be given rectally by trained care-givers.
* [[Midazolam]] (N/A). Increasingly being used as an alternative to diazepam. This water-soluble drug is squirted into the side of the mouth but not swallowed. It is rapidly absorbed by the [[buccal mucosa]].
* [[Lorazepam]] (1972). Given by injection in hospital.

[[Nitrazepam]], [[temazepam]], and especially [[nimetazepam]] are powerful anticonvulsant agents, however their use is rare due to an increased incidence of side effects and strong [[sedative]] and motor-impairing properties.