Seizure Information

Question 0

What is status epilepticcus?

Answer 0

This is considered a medical emergency

Seizure lasts 30 minutes or longer
Or cluster of shorter seizures last 30 minutes or more with little recovery in between

Question 1

Define ictal and postictal?

Answer 1

As it relates to seizures ictal period Is considered to be seizure itself

Postictal is the 5 to 30 minutes after sometimes drowsy, lack of memory, awareness, etc.

Question 2

What is postictal psychosis?

Answer 2

Most mysterious and trouble some seizure aftermath is this condition

In psychosis, person out of touch with reality, experiencing a logical thinking, paranoid suspicions, delusions, and hallucinations

Question 3

What is the Greek word for seizure?

Answer 3

Ictal

Question 4

What are the physical problems that result from tonic clonic seizures?

Answer 4

Muscle soreness
Bruises and other injuries
Bitten tongue

Also, complex partial to lead to 
headaches 
dizziness 
stomach upset and 
fatigue

Question 5

What are tonic clonic (grand mal) seizures?

Answer 5

Seizures that affect entire brain. Most commonly associated with epilepsy

Question 6

what are Absence seizures (petite mal)?

Answer 6

Characterized by brief loss and return of consciousness, generally not followed by a period of lethargy (without a notable postictal state)

Question 7

Three aspects of postictal period?

Answer 7

All these problems result after a seizure

Physical
cognitive
psychiatric

Question 8

Tests for epilepsy?

Answer 8

Careful detailed patient history

Blood tests - Low blood sugar, calcium, oxygen, kidney or liver failure, toxins

X-ray of brain or MRI – looking for tumor, blood clot, sign of stroke, etc.

EEG – measures electrical activity of the brain

Video EEG – monitored for several days

Question 9

Describe the EEG

Answer 9

Electroencephalogram

Measures electrical activity in brain

Each seizure type looks different so EEG rules out type and origin

Sometimes 50 to 80% of the time there is a spike of electricity and brain in between seizures so don’t always have to catch during seizure

Question 10

What are important things to remember about EEGs?

Answer 10

First, EEG never makes diagnosis of epilepsy – must first have history of symptoms/seizures

Second, even if EEG doesn’t shows anything or is negative should not discourage from treating patients for their seizures

Question 11

What are spikes on abnormal EEGs?

Answer 11

Sometimes called interictal spikes which means between seizures

Useful for EEGs because can’t always be hooked up to EEG during a seizure as it happens

Question 12

Circumstances that provokes seizures?

Answer 12

Missing seizure meds
Times of menstrual cycle
Pregnancy 
flashing lights 
TV and videogames Missing sleep 
migraines 
alcohol and alcohol withdrawal

Question 13

What are PNES?

Answer 13

Psychogenic non-epileptic seizure

Is a seizure like event that is produced, not by electrical charges in brain, but by psychological factors of which patient is not fully aware and cannot control

Question 14

If a patient is drug-resistant it becomes a quality of life measurement. Name some QOL goals?

Answer 14

Optimize long-term seizure control
maximize QOL
minimize side effects
maximize adherence decrease sees your severity/postictal period