Epilepsy Flashcards
What is this describing?
A tendency to intermittent abnormal electrical brain activity, unprovoked.
Epilepsy
What are the metabolic causes of epilepsy?
Hypoglycaemia, electrolytes, uraemia, low B1
What are the structural causes of epilepsy?
SoL, trauma, arteriovenous malformations, cavernomas.
What are the infectious causes of epilepsy?
Meningitis, encephalitis
Which drugs can cause epilepsy?
AEDs, antipsychotics, cocaine, spice.
What type of seizure is this?
Limbs stiffen, then jerk forcefully with LoC.
Generalised tonic-clonic seizures
What type of seizure is this?
Brief pauses, eyes may roll up, child is unaware of the attack. EEG shows bilateral, symmetrical 3Hz spike and wave pattern.
Absent seizure
What type of seizure is this?
5 months old, clusters of head nodding and arm jerks, every 3-30 seconds. Low IQ, hypsarrhythmia on EEG.
Infantile spasms/West syndrome
What is the treatment for Infantile spasms/West syndrome?
- 1st line prednisolone
2. 2nd line vigabatrin or ACTH
What is this describing?
Often thrown to the ground, brief jerks of the arm, occurs on waking.
Myoclonic seizures
What is this describing?
Seizure signs isolated to one part of hemisphere, often starts in temporal lobe, may become generalised?
Focal seizure
How is epilepsy diagnosed?
- No investigation for child with 1st seizure who makes quick recovery
- ECG - cardiac causes
- Bloods
- MRI - epilepsy, head injury
- EEG
What is the management for a recurrent generalised tonic-clonic seizure?
1st line sodium valproate (contraindicated in sexually active teenage girls, lamotrigine instead).
What is the management for a recurrent absence seizure?
1st line ethosuximide, 2nd line sodium valproate.
What is the management for a recurrent myoclonic seizure?
1st line sodium valproate, 2nd line levetiracetam.
