Eptoin test: (Phenytoin Test)
Why Eptoin (Phenytoin) Test ?
CLINICAL INFORMATION
Nerve cells (neurons) in the brain create, send and receive electrical impulses and therefore allows the brain’s nerve cells to communicate. Anything that disrupts these communications pathways can lead to seizures. A Seizure is a sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain, and thus cause a change in behaviour, feelings (patients feel sensations or feeling and change in behaviour hours or days before the seizure), movements and produce altered levels of consciousness. Seizure is a discrete (sporadic - singular event) incidence of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Seizures can occur after a stroke, a closed head injury, and infections such as meningitis or other illnesses. Types of seizures can vary based on severity and symptoms. With a seizure sign and symptoms can range from mild to severe and vary depending on its type. Types include focal seizure (either with impaired awareness or without loss of consciousness), generalized seizures (Absence seizure, tonic seizure, atonic seizure, clonic seizures, myoclonic seizures, tonic-clonic seizures). Symptoms include temporary confusion, a staring spell, uncontrollable jerking moments of arms and legs, loss of consciousness or awareness, cognitive or emotional symptoms such as fear, anxiety etc. Epilepsy is a chronic neurologic disorder (may be caused by genetic mutation) that causes repeated (episodic) seizure activities (i.e having two or more seizures at least 24 hours apart without any identifiable cause is considered seizure). Cause of seizures can be triggered by certain factors such as lack of sleep, flashing lights, moving patterns, visual stimulants, low blood sodium, medications such as pain relievers, anti-depressants, that lower the seizure threshold, hemorrhagic head trauma, abnormalities of the blood vessels in the brain, autoimmune disorders (SLE, Multiple sclerosis), stroke, brain tumour, illegal drugs like cocaine, amphetamines, chronic alcoholism etc. Complications include falling, drowning, psychological issues (emotional health) etc. Eptoin tablet (Generic name: Phenytoin – Anti-convulsant medicine) is an anti-epileptic medicine used for the treatment or its prevention (it reduces the membrane sodium gradient and lowers post-tetanic synaptic potential). It is also used during brain-related surgery by reducing the abnormal electrical activity of the brain. Dilantin-sodium and phenyl are other brand names of phenytoin, which are medicines that are used in an extended-release form. It is also used to treat trigeminal neuralgia etc. side effects include headache, nausea, vomiting, constipation, dizziness, drowsiness etc. Phenytoin test is used to monitor the amount of anti-epileptic drug – Phenytoin in the blood (i.e serum phenytoin concentration), to optimize the drug therapy and to determine the drug level within the therapeutic range. Other additional tests include CBC, LFT, BUN, blood sugar, urinalysis etc.
General Instructions:
Sample Requirement: Specimen - Blood sample collected from the vein. Test Preparation: None.
NOTE - Sample for specimen collections may vary based on the patient’s condition/cases according to the patient’s presenting complaints/signs or symptoms:
SPECIMEN REQUIREMENT (Special or Rare Cases) - As instructed and guided by Physician / Clinician / Pathologist / as per Laboratory’s requirements, according to procedures and protocols.
This Multi-Specialty Clinical Referral Laboratory RTDIAGNOSTICS provides precise and accurate tests with an extensive range of testing services to the medical centres to help in the diagnosis and identification of pathology in the test specimens for infectious diseases and also to evaluate the function of organ systems of the patient. It prevents further complications and helps to stabilize and restore health to near normalcy at the earliest without delay.
