Topic 45 - Classification of seizures. Flashcards
What is a seizure, definition:
disturbance of brain function that has a sudden onset,
ceases spontaneously, has a tendency to recur
Seizure are usually associated with:
- loss/derangement of consciousness
- excessive or decreased voluntary muscle tone or movement
- visceral muscle activity
- altered behavior
We classify seizures from their muscle function and implication of the body, name the muscle function classifications:
Tonic
Clonic
Tonico-Clonic
Myoclonic
Atonic
What is a tonic seizure?
characterised by increased muscle tone
What is a clonic seizure?
characterised by rapid alternate muscular contractions and relaxations
What is a tonico-clonic seizure?
Mixture of them both
What is a myoclonic seizure?
Sporadic movement typically on both sides of the body
What is a atonic seizure?
Sudden loss of muscle tone which causes collapse
Name the classifications of seizures regarding the implication of body parts
- Partial/Focal
- Generalized
(3. Complex partial)
What is a partial seizure?
Only affects a partial region of one half of the brain
- remains localized to one body region
- may progress to generalized seizure
- focus of the convulsions could be localised, followed by special symptoms suck as tail-chasing
What is a generalized seizure?
Occurs across both sides of the brain
- affects the brain diffusely
- generalized tonic-clonic seizures
What is epilepsy?
A condition affecting the brain, causing frequent seizures
How would you classify epilepsy?
According to their etiology
Also calssified according to severity
Name the classifications:
- Idiopathic
- Structural epilepsy
- Cryptogenic
- Extracranial
Name the classification according to severity:
Cluster seizure
Status epilepticus
What is a idiopathic epilepsy?
functional disease (no obvious structural abnormality)
What is a structural epilepsy?
intracranial
What is cryptogenic epilepsy?
- lesion strongly suspected but not justified
- after head trauma, post anaesthesia, post-encephalitis
What is extracranial epilepsy?
metabolic or toxic
What is a cluster seizure?
2 or more seizures within 24 hour period
What is status epilepticus?
- Seizure lasting longer than 5 minutes
- Several seizures lasting over a short period of time without regaining full consciousness
Other forms for convulsions, which is NOT necessarily connected to CNS:
- Tetanus = sustained tonic contraction of muscles without twitching
- Tremor = regular, rhythmic trembling if muscles
- Tic = repetitive contractions of one muscle
- Myoclonus = rhythmic contraction of one muscle group
- Fibrillation = uncoordinated twitching of individual muscle fibres
