[Therapeutic difficulties in discontinuous absence-petit mal status].

After a change in her antiepileptic medication, a 29 year old woman, who had petit mal absences since childhood, developed an intoxication by phenobarbital and a intermittent absence status. The intravenous administration of clonazepam paradoxically produced a transitory increase of the spike-wave-activity. Only 8 days later, when the serum level of phenobarbital had dropped and the concentration of valproic acid and ethosuximide were near the "therapeutic range", did the absences remit.