Epilepsy Revision Questions

Question 1

What is epilepsy

Answer 1

due to abnormal discharge of neurons within the brain
assoicated with changes in GABA levels which leads to abnormal cell to cell propagation so that it takes less stimulation for a neuron to fire and pass message onto another cell

Question 2

Triggers of epilpesy

Answer 2

idiopathic
trauam - head injury
social - late nights, alcohol, hypoglycaemia, flashing lights
CNS disease - tumour, stroke, menigintis

Question 3

Tonic clonic (grand mal)`

Answer 3

initial tonic (stiif)
clonic (contraction/relaxation)
loss of consciouseness
post-ietal drowisness

Question 4

Peti mal (absence)

Answer 4

short lived episodes
childhood mainly
multiple attacks in single day
loss of awareness - eyelids flutter, vacant stare, stops, anxiety, loss of response

Question 5

Jackinson Seizure

Answer 5

patient starts with small tremor of upper limb and progessively moves up elbow, shoulder, neck
Sensory - often aura and may involve deja vu

Question 6

Complex partial seziures

Answer 6

automatism - lip smacking

grimmacing, repetitive purposdess movements

Question 7

Treatment of epilepsy

Answer 7

preventative - anticonvulsants drugs
tonic clonic - phenytoin, gabapentin, valoprate (sodium), carbamazapine
absence - levtriacetum
emergency - airway and oxygen

Question 8

Dental aspects

Answer 8

oral/osft tissue trauma
ging hyperplasia (phenytoin)
bleeding tenendency (valoprate)
folate defiency (rare)

Question 9

Side effects of phenytoin

Answer 9

headaches
nasuea
vomiting
ging hyperplasia
bleeeding

Question 10

Febrile Seizures

Answer 10

same symptoms as someone having tonic clonic
mainily children and have fever >38degrees
cool child down, remove clothes, cool sponging, bath
medication - paracetamol/ ibuprofen