Chapter 19 Diabetic emergencies (seizures)

Question 1

seizure

Answer 1

sudden change sensation, behavior, movement
(severe forms of seizure produce violent muscle contractions called convulsions.

2 types of seizures- partial seizure and generalized seizures

Question 2

2 types of seizure

Answer 2

-partial seizure
affect only one part of the brain (one side) which in turn only affects one side of the body. (patients may or may not loose consciousness

-generalized seizures
affect the entire brain and as a result affect the consciousness of the patient

Question 3

generalized seizures

Answer 3

tonic-clonic seizure (3 phases)

• tonic phase
• clonic phase
• postical phase

Question 4

tonic-clonic seizure - tonic phase

Answer 4

the body becomes rigid, stiffening for no more than 30 seconds. breathing may stop, the patient may bite his tongue and bowel / bladder control could be lost

Question 5

tonic-clonic seizure - clonic phase

Answer 5

the body jerks violently, usually for no more than 1 to 2 minutes (some can last up to 5 minutes) the patient may foam from the mouth and drool.

-face and lips often become cyanotic

Question 6

tonic-clonic seizure - postictal phase

Answer 6

begins when convulsions stop.

patient may regain consciousness immediately and enter a state of drowsiness and confusion. or the patient may remain unconscious for several hours (headache is common)

-patients sometimes become combative

Question 7

aura

Answer 7

a sensation that the patient has when sensing an upcoming seizure. (sent, sound or felling)

Question 8

cause of seizures

Answer 8

• the most common cause in adults is patients not taking their seizure medication.
• most common cause of seizure for children is high fever (febrile seizures)

Question 9

cause of seizures (continued)

Answer 9

hypoxia
stroke
traumatic brain injury
toxins
hypoglycemia 
brain tumor
congenital brain defects
infection
metabolic
idiopathic

Question 10

epilepsy

Answer 10

when a patient has many seizures from an unknown cause.

some are born with the condition, and others develop it after head injury or surgery

common for seizures to occur when patient does not take medication

Question 11

status epilepticus

Answer 11

seizure lasting more than 10 minutes (high priority emergency requiring immediate transport. EMT must maintain a patent airway while on scene and en route

Question 12

partial seizures

Answer 12

also called focal motor, focal sensory or jacksonian

• tingling
• stiffening
• jerking in one part of the body

can develop into a tonic-clonic seizure

Question 13

generalized seizure

Answer 13

includes tonic-colonic seizures as well as others:
- absence seizure (petit mal) it is brief, lasting less than 10 seconds.

-temporary loss of concentration or awareness.