E2 Seizures Flashcards
(48 cards)
Seizure
-Brief episode of abnormal electrical activity in nerve cells of the brain
-Can involve motor, sensory, or cognitive manifestations
Convulsions
More severe seizure characterized by involuntary spasmodic contractions of muscles
Seizure Disease- Epilepsy
-Chronic, recurrent pattern of seizures
-Paroxysmal seizure activity
Myoclonic
Brief, shock-like jerks of a muscle or group of muscles
-Jerk of hand and legs
-Several in a row
-Overlooked often as tick, tremor, clumsiness
Seizure: Pathogenesis
“Seizure focus”
-Group of abnormal neurons that spontaneously fire
-Often this area is found to have scar tissue (gliosis)
Are global or local seizures more dangerous?
global
Primary seizures
-Idiopathic
-Epilepsy
-50% of cases
-Some genetic predisposition
Secondary seizures
-Chemical imbalances: low blood sugar, drugs (demoral)
-Febrile (most common in kids)
Brain issues associated with seizures
-Traumatic brain injury
-Stroke
-Meningitis
-Tumors
What does idiopathic mean?
unknown cause
What is the criteria for epilepsy diagnosis?
-Must have no evidence of a reversible metabolic cause (no tumor, no blood sugar issues, no meningitis)
-An electrical storm (takes multiple seizures, doesn’t matter what kind)
What is used to measure a seizure?
EEG
Seizure threshold
-the likelihood of a seizure
-the higher the threshold the less likely it is that a seizure will happen
What will increase or decrease likelihood of seizure?
Increase: drinking, menzies, missed meds, stress, illness
Decrease: meds, getting enough sleep
3 key features of seizure identification
- Area seizure originates (focal or generalized)
- Level of awareness of the patient
- Other feathers (ex. motor, nonmotor involvement)
Generalized onset seizures
-Formerly ‘grand-mal’
-Neuronal activity originates simultaneously in both hemispheres of the brain (grey matter)
-Subtypes: Tonic-clonic & Absence seizure
Absence seizures
brief loss of awareness that commonly occurs with repetitive spasmodic eye blinking for up to 30 seconds
-usually occurs in childhood, usually stop at age 14
Tonic phase of tonic-clonic seizures
-Prolonged skeletal muscle contraction
-“Cry”
Clonic phase of tonic-clonic seizures
-Alternating skeletal muscle contraction and relaxation
-Arm and legs jerk
Focal onset seizures
Originate in a localized or focal region (one lobe) of the brain
-further subdivided based on level of awareness by the patient
Phases of a seizure
- Prodromal: signs or activity that precede a seizure
- Aural phase: sensory warning
- Ictal phase: Actual seizure
- Post-ictal phase: recovery
What is the Aura/ prodrome phase?
-Subjective sense of impending seizure
-Clue to seizure
What is status epilepticus?
-Continuing series of multiple seizures without recovery period
-Last 30 mins or more
Status epilepticus is a life-threatening disorder and the biggest concern of tonic-clonic what can it cause?
-Respiratory distress
-Hypoxia
-brain damage
-Death
