A treating physician allegedly recommended a Topamax dosage that exceeded any recommended amount, causing the patient to experience severe convulsions. Though the patient had no history of epilepsy, after taking his Topamax prescription for chronic headaches he began to go into a series of convulsions, complaining of blurred vision and having issues with both balance and speech. It was determined that the dosage of Topamax had been dangerously high, and the patient needed emergency overdose treatment. A medical expert in Topamax was asked to testify on the reasons why a patient would be told to use it, and whether the treating physician’s actions constituted a breach in standard of care.
Question(s) For Expert Witness
1. Do you prescribe the drug Topamax?
2. Is exceeding the recommended dosage of this drug a breach in the standard of care?
Expert Witness Response E-000317
I do prescribe the drug Topamax and would certainly be able to whether the correct recommended dosage for the drug was used in this circumstance. A review of all relevant medical records would be needed to determine if the dose prescribed was not something that would normally be done by a reasonably prudent physician under the same circumstances.
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