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Status Epilepticus Updated 4/2011

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BASICS

  • Description
  • Epidemiology
  • Risk Factors
  • General Prevention
  • Pathophysiology
  • Etiology
  • Associated Conditions

DIAGNOSIS

  • Signs and Symptoms
  • Tests
  • Differential Diagnosis

TREATMENT

  • Medication (Drugs)
  • Additional Treatment
  • Surgery
  • In-patient Considerations

Ongoing Care

  • Patient Education
  • Prognosis
  • Complications
The following is an excerpt....
BASICS
ALERT:
  • Status epilepticus is a life-threatening emergency; rapid seizure control is critical, even before a definitive diagnosis is reached (as with CPR).
  • Begin drug treatment if seizure lasts >5 minutes.
Description
  • Established status epilepticus is a seizure lasting >30 minutes or absence of recovery of consciousness between seizures. Tonic–clonic (grand mal or generalized convulsive) status is the most common and serious form.
  • Refractory status epilepticus: Seizure that persists after treatment with 1st-line drugs.
    • System affected: Nervous
    • Synonym: Status convulsivus
Epidemiology

Incidence
  • 18–50 cases per 100,000 per year; 1/3 as unprovoked 1st seizure, 1/6 in patients with known epilepsy, 1/2 secondary to acute CNS insult
  • Incidence is 2 times higher in the ...

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See Also
Diseases & Conditions >
DDx/Tx Algorithms >
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