Epilepsy

Question 0

Why are seizures caused in epilepsy?

Answer 0

Either a disrupted signal or too much signal
So increased excitation
Decreased inhibition
Loss of homeostatic control
Spread of neuronal hyperactivity

Question 1

Define epilepsy

Answer 1

Disturbance in the electrical signalling of the brain
There are many different types
Its tendency to have seizures that start in the brain

Question 2

What are fits that are associated with fever and in which population do they occur?

Answer 2

Febrile convulsions

Children

Question 3

What are the two main types of epilepsy?

Answer 3

Idiopathic

Symptomatic

Question 4

What are the two main types of seizure?

Answer 4

Generalised

Focal

Question 5

Explain what a focal seizure is

Answer 5

Occurs in one part of the brain but it depends where in the brain they happen
Simple focal seizure the person is usually conscious, usually knows something is wrong, usually remember afterward
They can be warnings to develop into another type of seizure

Question 6

What are the symptoms of parietal lobe focal seizures?

Answer 6

Burning sensation
Tingling
Thinking that a limb is bigger than it is

Question 7

What are the symptoms of temporal lobe focal seizures?

Answer 7

Abnormal taste or smell
Déjà vu/ jamais vu
Fear and joy
Rising feeling in the stomach

Question 8

What are the symptoms of occipital lobe focal seizures?

Answer 8

Hallucinations
Disturbed vision
Loss of vision
Flashing lights

Question 9

What are the symptoms of frontal lobe focal seizures?

Answer 9

Wave
Abnormal movements
Twitching

Question 10

What are complex focal seizures?

Answer 10

Affect a bigger part of one hemisphere
Consciousness may be affected
May be confused
May involve wandering around or behave strangely
May not understand you

Question 11

What are the symptoms of temporal lobe complex seizures?

Answer 11

Pick up objects for no reason
Chewing lip or smacking movements
Words that don't make any sense
Wander around confused
Last for 2 to 3 minutes
May take up to 10 minutes to recover

Question 12

What are the symptoms of frontal lobe complex seizures?

Answer 12

Cry or scream
Strange postures
15 to 30 seconds duration
Recover quickly

Question 13

Can a focal seizure turn into a generalised seizure and what happens?

Answer 13

Yes

Loss of consciousness

Question 14

What is a generalised seizure?

Answer 14

Affects both sides of the brain
Can occur without warning
Unconscious
Do not remember what happened

Question 15

What is another name for absence seizures?

Answer 15

petit mal

Question 16

Describe absent seizures

Answer 16

Look like daydreaming
More common in children
Unconscious
Eyelids may flutter

Question 17

What are atypical absences?

Answer 17

Last longer absences
May involve physical movement
Tends to happen in people with a learning disability

Question 18

What is a tonic seizure?

Answer 18

Patient becomes stiff

Tend to fall

Question 19

What are atonic seizures?

Answer 19

Patient becomes floppy
Their muscles relax
Often fall

Question 20

What are myoclonic seizures?

Answer 20

Muscles tend to jerk
Usually arms and legs but it can affect the head and trunk
Brief
Person is conscious

Question 21

What is another name for tonic clonic seizures?

Answer 21

grand mal

Question 22

Explain what happens at the start of a tonic clonic seizure

Answer 22

Patient becomes unconscious
Fall
May bite tongue or cheek
Stiff

Question 23

What happens during a tonic clonic seizure?

Answer 23

Patient will shake
Breathing may be affected
Colour may change
May wet themselves

Question 24

What happens after a tonic clonic seizure?

Answer 24

Breathing returns to normal

Me feel tired/confused/heady/sleepy

Question 25

What is status epilepticus?

Answer 25

Seizure lasts for 30 minutes or seizures with no breaks for 30 minutes
Usually five minutes it is an emergency

Question 26

What are seizure triggers?

Answer 26

Stress
Alcohol
Lack of sleep
Flashing lights

Question 27

What are the dangers of severe epilepsy?

Answer 27

Hyperoxia
Death 
Trauma
Cognitive impairment
Psychiatric disease
Stigma
Brain dysfunction
ADRs

Question 28

What can you give status epilepticus?

Answer 28

Phenytoin 15 to 20 mg/kg
Rapidly reaches therapeutic level
Or benzodiazepines (0.1mg/kg)
Rectal if difficult