Seizures Flashcards
What are seizures?
Abnormal episodes of motor, sensory, autonomic, or psychic activity (or a combination of these) resulting from a sudden, abnormal, uncontrolled electrical discharge from cerebral neurons.
What are the classifications of seizures?
Focal: Originates in 1 hemisphere
Generalized: occur & engage bilaterally
Unknown: epilepsy spasms
“Provoked” related to acute, reversible condition
What are the causes/ risk factors of seizures?
Cerebrovascular Disease
Hypoxemia
Fever (childhood)
Head Injury
Hypertension (HTN)
CNS Infections
Metabolic & Toxic Conditions
Neuro Sensory Overload (flashing lights, video games, prolonged TV viewing)
Sleep, Stress
Brain Tumor
Drug & Alcohol Withdrawal
Allergies
Brain Lesions
What is a Generalized Seizure?
Involves the entire cortex (outer layer of cerebrum)
Includes:
Absence Seizures (Petit Mail)
Myoclonic Seizures
Atomic Seizures (Drop Attacks)
Tonic-Clonic Seizures (Grand Mail)
What is an ‘Absence’ or Petit Mal seizure?
Staring or subtle body movement
Brief LOC
What is a ‘Myoclonic’ seizure?
Sudden jerk or twitches of arms & legs
What is an ‘Atonic’ or Drop Attack seizure?
Loss of normal muscle tone
Suddenly collapse or fall
What is a Tonic-Clonic or Grand Mal seizure?
Most intense of all types
LOC, Intermittent stiffening & shaking followed by clinic (jerking) movements
Loss of bladder control
Talk unintelligibly
Dizzy
Tongue is chewed
Incontinent of urine & feces
Cyanosis & incontinence are expected
Followed by a post-ictal period (5-30 minutes)
Can last for minutes
What are the diagnostic tests for seizures?
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Computerized Tomography (CT)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) uses small amount of low dose radioactive material (IV) & visualize active areas of the brain & detect abnormalities
Single-Photon Emission Computerized Tomography (SPECT) small amount of low dose radioactive material injected into a vein to create a detailed 3-D map of blood flow activity in the brain during seizures
