Lesson 2 Flashcards
a seizure is a…
seizure
seizures
abnormal neurological functions
drug withdrawal? tumours?
epilepsy
condition of recurrent seizures
hereditary
nonreversible
common reversible fever conditions
alcohol withdrawal
hypoglycemia
how many people get seizures
6-10%
1% have epilepsy
(diagnosed under 20 or over 60)
have good control and know when they are coming (AURA)
pathophysiology of seizures
hard to find what electrical activity caused the seizure
EEG helps
SPECT/MRI help provide results
everyone has a seizure threshold t/f
t and everyones are different levels so some people can be triggered by flashing lights
classes of seizures
generalized
partial
generalized seizures
loss of consciousness
absence seizures
tonic clonic seizures
partial seizure
consciousness can be maintained sometimes
start in localized area of the cerebral cortex
absence seizure
type of generalized seizure
happens in school aged children
loss of consciousness but no change in posture
inactive/day dreaming effect
no aura
tonic clonic features
type of generalized seizure
aura (hallucinations) LOC tonic muscle rigidity - muscle rigidity hypertonic - hyperexntesion clonic - major muscles contract post seizure -major muscles relax postictal - brain rest period
simple partial
lasts about 2 minutes
focal motor/Jacksonian march seizures
tonic clonic on one part of the body but can turn into generalized
no LOC
aura/visual symptoms
status epilepticus
5 minutes of continuous generalized seizure activity
or continuous seizures
danger of glucose depletion/hypoxia
longer it is harder to stop
status epileptics prehospital management
emergency transport
