308 - CNS & Anaesthesia (March)

Question 1

What is epilepsy?

Answer 1

Epilepsy is a condition which affects the brain and causes frequent seizures.

Question 2

What is it called if there is no clear cause of the epilepsy?

Answer 2

Idiopathic epilepsy is when there is no clear cause.

Question 3

At what age does epilepsy usually start?

Answer 3

Epilepsy usually starts in childhood, or over the age of 60.

Question 4

What are the symptoms of epilepsy?

Answer 4

• uncontrollable jerking + shaking = ‘a fit’
• losing awareness & staring blankly into space
• becoming stiff
• strange sensations
  
  • rising feeling in tummy
  • unusual smells/tastes
  • tingling in arms/legs
• collapsing

Question 5

What are the possible causes of epilepsy?

Answer 5

• the electrical signals in the brain become scrambled and there are sometimes sudden bursts of electrical activity
• most cases not clear why
  
  • genetic
    
    • 1 in 3 people with epilepsy have a family member with it
  • damage to the brain
    
    • stroke
    • brain tumour
    • severe head injury
    • drug abuse/alcohol misuse
    • brain infection
    • lack of oxygen during birth

Question 6

Anti epileptic drugs

Answer 6

sodium valproate

levetiracetam

carbamazepine

lamotrigine

oxcarbazepine

ethosuximide

topiramate

Question 7

What is focal onset epilepsy?

Answer 7

• one part of the brain is affected
• patient will not lose consciousness

Question 8

What are general onset seizures?

Answer 8

• all of the brain affected
• patient loses consciousness

Question 9

What is a tonic seizure?

Answer 9

• brief loss of consciousness
• falls to ground
• recovery quicker than tonic-clonic

Question 10

What is an atonic seizure?

Answer 10

• brief loss of consciousness
• goes limp
• recovery quicker than tonic-clonic

Question 11

What is a myoclonic seizure?

Answer 11

• muscles in one part of the body twitch or jerk
• no loss of consciousness