epilepsy Flashcards
Risk factors, pathology, signs, diagnosis, and treatment of epilepsy.
definition of syncope
a paroxysmal event in which changes in behaviour, sensation, and cognitive processes are caused by an insufficient blood or oxygen supply to the brain
causes of focal epilepsy
tumours
hippocampal sclerosis due to encephalitis
risk factors for epilepsy
genetic
cerebral disease (e.g. cancer)
stress
definition of epilepsy
paroxysmal event in which changes of behaviour, sensation, or cognitive processes are caused by excessive hyper synchronous neural discharges in the brain
pathology of focal epilepsy
associated with focal brain abnormality
partial seizures ± impaired consciousness or secondary generalised seizures
onset at any age
pathology of idiopathic (primary) generalised epilepsy
no associated brain abnormality
onset usually <30
myoclonic seizures, absence seizures, or primary generalised tonic clonic seizures
features of epileptic seizure
30-120 seconds
postive ictal symptoms
stereotypical seizures
post-ictal symptoms
what is the tonic phase of a seizure like?
stiff
what is the clonic phase of a seizure like?
amplitude of movement gets increasingly bigger before stopping
diagnosis of epilepsy
characteristic seizure signs
use of EEG to show progression
can be diagnosed following a single seizure
treatment of focal epilepsy
carbamazepine or iamotrigine
treatment of idiopathic/primary epilepsy
valproate or iamotrigine
treatment options for epilepsy
medication hemispherectomy or brain resection tractotomy electrostimulation vagal nerve stimulation
