Pharmacology - Final Flashcards
Epileptic Seizures
Abnormal excessive and synchronous neural activity in the brain that leads to the transient occurence signs and symptoms
Epilepsy
Two unprovoked seizures over 24 hrs apart
OR
one unprovoked seizure and probability of further seizures of at least 60% occuring over the next 10 years
OR
diagnosis with an epilepsy syndrome
Focal Seizure
aka partial
Involves only part of the brain
Types of Focal Seizures
Simple Partial Seizure
Complex Partial Seizure
Secondarily Generalized
Simple partial seizure
No impairment of consciousness
Motor, sensory or autonomic symptoms
Duration: less than 60s
Complex Partial Seizure
Altered consciousness and behavioural arrest
Duration 1-2 min
Postictal confusion
Motor automatism
Secondarily Generalized
Focal seizure that becomes generalized
Generalized Seizure
Widespread involvement of the brain
Can be convulsive or non-convulsive
Types of generalized seizures
Generalized tonic-clonic
Absence
Myoclonic
Generalized tonic-clonic
aka grand mal
loss of consciousness with hyperextension followed by rhythmic full body contractions
Duration 1-2 min
Postictal confusion, stupor and headache
Absence
aka petit mal
Sudden impairment of consciousness
Duration:5-10 sec
No seizure
Myoclonic
Sudden muscle contractions (jerks) without loss of consciousness
Duration: ms
Seizure eitiology
Genetic and development disorders
Trauma
CNS infection
Brain tumour
Substance abuse
Drug withdrawals
Cerebrovascular disease
Seizure pathophysiology
Neuronal activity gets synchronized and an imbalance occurring by increasing excitatory mechanisms and decreasing inhibitory mechanisms
What excitatory and inhibitory mechanisms are involved in seizures
Increase excitatory (Glutamate, Na, Ca)
Decrease inhibitory (GABA, K)
