Seizures Lecture Powerpoint Flashcards
Telltale sign of a seizure
If you grab hold of their arm it will NOT stop seizing
Ictal
Relating to or caused by stroke/seizure (during a seizure)
Post-ictal
Altered state of consciousness after seizure
New onset of seizures age 30 onward assume…
….tumor until proven otherwise
Tonic
Producing tone or contraction of muscles within seizure
Clonic
Alternating pattern of relaxation and contraction in muscles within seizure
Aura (seizures)
Distinctive visual or sensation warning sign typically predictive of an impending seizure episode
Clonic vs myoclonic vs myoclonic tonic
Very slow vs very fast (
Epilepsy epidemiology
3.4 million americans, 1% of population, 50% of people with it develop by age of 25 but can get it at any time, twice as many with epilepsy who are 60 or older as children aged 10 or younger
Localized/partial epilepsy
Seizure located on one side or part of body initially that may evolve into entire body involvement (secondarily generalized), either simple (not lost consciousness) or complex (have change in state of consciousness)
Generalized seizures and their subclasses (5)
Seizure that occur over whole body symmetrically without local onset including several classes such as:
- tonic clonic (grand mal)
- absence (petit mal)
- myoclonic
- clonic
- atonic
70% of epiplepsy is ___, most common causes of provoked include the following (5)
idiopathic,
- head trauma
- infection
- brain tumor
- genetic anomalies
- prenatal disturbance of brain development
Seizures
Uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain resulting in physical convulsion and other manifestations in the body
Signs and symptoms of seizure (4)
- Fever (may be indicative of infectious etiology - febrile seizure)
- papilledema
- headache
- focal neurologic finding
Todd’s paralysis
Focal residual abnormality such as paralysis of one sided limb that may suggest post - focal onset of seizure
Seizure is not a ___, it is a ___
diagnosis, symptom
Focal seizures can progress if left untreated for a period of time to…
….generalized (secondary generalized)
Epilepsy
Recurrent seizures unrelated to fever or acute cerebral insult with no underlying provocation, generalized tonic-clonic characterized by rigidity (tonic phase) followed by repetitive clonic activity (of all extremities), may be accompanied by oral frothing, resp distress, cyanosis, incontinence, blackout, and convulsions
Psychogenic nonepipleptic seizures
Seizure activity characterized by sudden and time limited disturbances of motor, sensory, autonomic, cognitive, and/or emotional functions, mimics seizures but not associated with physiological CNS dysfunction (as measured on an EEG), tends to last longer than 2 min, pelvic thrust but no incontinence, can still communicate, forced eye closure, and no increase in prolactin levels (which is always seen in a true seizure)
Things that mimic seizures (4)
- syncope
- sleep disorders
- migraines
- TIA