Seizure - J. Prunuske/Slattery Flashcards
What is the epidemiology of seizures?
- Incidence in US = 150,000 per year
- Prevalence:
- 2.3 million Adults
- 470,000 Children
- 1-2% of ER visits
- Direct + Indirect costs = $15.5 billion per year
What is the most common etiology of seizures?
Idiopathic
What is the most common etiology of seizures in people >60 yoa?
Stroke
What is the most common etiology of seizures in elderly patients?
Brain tumor
What etiologies cause provoked/secondary seizures?
- Metabolic disturbances
- sugar, sodium, calcium, azotemia
- Infections
- Focal neurologic lesions
- Medications/Withdrawal
- Toxins (EtOH, etc.)
What diagnostic evaulations are performed for a seizure?
- Neuroimaging (CT or MRI) - typically done with FIRST seizure, unless it is febrile seizure
- EEG in all patients
- LP - only if clinical concern for infection
- CBC, BMP
- Utox
- Pregnancy test - to rule out pre-eclampsia, avoid giving dangerous medications
What are the clinical hallmarks of Focal, Local, Simple, or Partial seizures?
- No LOC (retain awareness)
- Only involve one hemisphere
- symptoms based on specific area of the brain that is effected
What are the clinical hallmarks of Complex partial or Focal seizure with contralateral propagation or secondary generalization?q
- Initiates as a partial/local
- small seizure often undetected
- Becomes generalized → global disruption of both hemispheres
- LOC
- due to effects on reticular activating system
What are the clinical hallmarks of a General non-convulsive or Absence seizure?
- Diffuse
- Blank stare, then continue with previous action
- No postictal confusion
What are the clinical hallmarks of a convulsive, tonic-clonic, atonic, etc. seizure?
- Collapse at onset
- Clenching, extending, contracting, jerking movements
- LOC
- Drooling, incontinence
- Postictal confusion/amnesia
What are the clinical hallmarks of status epilepticus?
- Seizures that last for 5+ minutes
- 20% of people die (1 of 5)
- Not coming out of seizure, require IV medication
- Rapidly depletes glucose, starve brain, causes electrolyte imbalance
What anticonvulsant medications target pre-synaptic voltage-gated Na+ channels in order to decrease glutamate release?
- Phenytoin
- Carbamazepine
- Lacosamide
What anticonvulsant medications target pre-synaptic VG Ca2+ channels in order to decrease glutamate release?
- Ethosuximide
- Gabapentin
What anticonvulsant medication targets pre-synaptic K+ channels in order to diminish glutamate release?
Retigabine
What anticonvulsant medication targets pre-synaptic vesicle proteins (SV2A) in attempt to decrease glutamate release?
Levetiracetam