Which medication is commonly used to treat seizures in patients with severe neurologic symptoms during transport?

Diazepam is commonly used in the prehospital setting to manage seizures, especially when patients exhibit severe neurological symptoms during transport. As a benzodiazepine, diazepam has rapid onset of action and can be administered intravenously (IV), intramuscularly (IM), or rectally, making it versatile for emergency situations.

In cases where a patient is actively seizing or has a high risk of seizure recurrence, the rapid administration of diazepam helps to quickly stabilize the patient's condition and prevent further neurological damage. This is particularly important for patients experiencing status epilepticus, a medical emergency characterized by prolonged seizures.

While other medications, such as phenytoin, carbamazepine, and valproic acid, are used to manage seizure disorders, they have longer onset times and are generally not preferred for acute treatment in emergency transport situations. Phenytoin, for example, requires slow infusion rates to avoid complications, and carbamazepine and valproic acid are more often used for ongoing management rather than immediate seizure control.