(Chapter 14 Antiepileptic Drugs)

Question 1

Anticonvulsant

Answer 1

A substance or procedure that prevents or reduces the severity of epileptic or other convulsive seizures

Question 2

Antiepileptic drug (AED)

Answer 2

A substance that prevents of reduces the severity of epilepsy and different types of epileptic seizures, not just convulsive seizures

• Therapy is usually lifelong
• Prevent generation and spread of excessive electrical discharge from abnormally functioning nerve cells
• Common medications include carbamazipine, valium, ativan, phenobarbital
• Adverse effects vary per drug, for example dizziness, nausea, vomiting, lethargy, and headache
• Dilantin is the only drugs given IV and is only given with normal saline

Question 3

Autoinduction

Answer 3

A metabolic process that occurs when a drug increases its own metabolism over time, leading to lower than expected drug concentrations

Question 4

Convulsion

Answer 4

A type of seizure involving excessive stimulation of neurons in the brain and characterized by the spasmodic contraction of voluntary muscles

Question 5

Epilepsy

Answer 5

General term for any of a group of neurological disorders characterized by recurrent episodes of convulsive seizures, sensory disturbances, abnormal behavior, loss of consciousness, or any combination of these
- No apparent cause for more than 50% of epilepsy causes

Question 6

Narrow therapeutic index (NTI) drugs

Answer 6

Drugs that are characterized by a narrow difference between their therapeutic and toxic dosages

Question 7

Primary or idiopathic epilepsy

Answer 7

Epilepsy that develops without an apparent cause. More then 50% of cases of epilepsy are of unknown origin

Question 8

Secondary epilepsy

Answer 8

Epilepsy that has a distinct cause (example trauma)

Question 9

Seizure

Answer 9

Excessive stimulation of neurons in the brain leading to a sudden burst of abnormal neuron activity that results in temporary changes in brain function

• This does not necessarily mean you have epilepsy
• Seizures look different (different kinds) and these are all treated in differently

Question 10

Status epilepticus

Answer 10

A common seizure disorder characterized by general tonic-clonic convulsions that occur in succession
- A medical emergency that is treated with phenobarbital (barbiturates). Usually lasts 5-10 minutes

Question 11

Tonic-clonic seizure

Answer 11

Formally called grand mal seizure, this type pf epilepsy is characterized by a series of generalized movements of tonic (stiffening) and clonic (rapid synchronized jerking) muscular contractions

Question 12

Unclassified seizures

Answer 12

Seizures that are not described by any of the seizure classifications