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26 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What are electrolyte abnormalities that can cause seizures?
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• Na < 120 or > 150 mEq/L
• Osmolarity > 310 mOsm/L • Ca < 7 mg/dl |
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What are drugs that can cause seizures?
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• Amphetamines
• Cocaine • Ephedrine • EtOH withdrawal • INH • Lidocaine • PCN’s • Theophylline • TCA’s |
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What are CNS diseases that can cause seizures?
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• brain abscess
• eclampsia • hypertensive/hepatic encephalopathy • menigitis • sickle cell disease • SLE • stroke |
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What is the most common cause of seizures in both children and adults?
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Idiopathic
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What are characteristics of simple partial seizures?
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• no loss of consciousness
• may be manifested by motor, sensory, psychiatric, or autonomic symptoms |
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What are the different types of general seizures of non-focal origin?
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• absence seizures (petit mal)
• atonic • myoclonic • tonic • tonic-clonic |
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What are tonic movements? clonic movements?
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• tonic: stiffening
• clonic: rhythmic jerking |
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Most complex partial seizures arise from which lobe?
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temporal lobe (70-80%)
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Describe a generalized tonic-clonic seizure
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• abrupt LOC
• bilateral tonic extension of trunk and limbs (tonic phase) • loud vocalization "epileptic cry" • bilaterally synchronous muscle jerking (clonic phase) |
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What are transient physical changes that occur during seizures?
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• elevated plasma catecholamines
• hypoxia • increase CPK, prolactin, corticotropin, cortisol, Beta-endorphin, & GH • lactic acidosis |
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What are complications of seizures?
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• aspiration pneumonia
• oral trauma • shoulder dislocation • sudden death (acute pulmonary edema, cardiac arrhythmia, suffocation) • vertebral compression fractures |
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What is the DOC for absence seizure?
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Ethosuximide
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What are characteristics of absence seizures?
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• mainly in children
• sudden, momentary plases in awareness, staring, rhythmic blinking, & few small clonic jerks of arms and hand • immediate return to normal • no postictal period • usually no recollection of seizure • most last < 10 seconds |
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What are characteristics of atypical absence seizures?
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• more gradual onset and termination
• most often in metally retarded children • does not respond as well to drugs |
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What are characteristics of atonic seizures?
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• aka drop attacks
• most often in children w/ diffuse encephalopathies • sudden loss of muscle tones (falls with self-injury) |
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What is the most common cause of convulsions in children?
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febrile seizures
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Most febrile seizures occur between what ages?
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6 months-4 years
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What are characteristics of Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome?
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• heterogeneous group of early childhood epileptic encephalopathies
• mental retardation • physical brain abnormalities • uncontrolled seizures |
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What activity is seen on an EEG during an absence seizure?
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3-Hz spike/sec
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What are other disorders that can resemble a seizure?
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• alcoholic blackouts
• behavioral & psychiatric disorders (ex. panic, hyperventilation, dissociation) • cataplexy • hypoglycemia • migraine (confusional, vertebrobasilar) • movement disorders (ex. myoclonus, episodic ataxias) • syncope • TIA |
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What are medical treatment options for partial & secondary generalized seizures?
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• Carbamazepine
• Phenytoin • Valpoate • Gabapentin (Neurontin) • Lamotrigine • Topiramate |
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What are medical treatment options of tonic-clonic seizures?
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• carbamazepine
• lamotrigine • phenytoin • valproate |
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What are treatment options for absence seizures?
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• Ethosuximide (DOC)
• Valproate • Lamotrigine |
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What are treatment options of myoclonic and tonic seizures?
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• Valproate
• Clonazepam |
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What is the most common cause of status epilepticus?
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abrupt anticonvulsant medication withdrawal
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What are other causes of status epilepticus?
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• alcohol or drug withdrawal from abuser
• cerebral infection • hemorrhage • neoplasm • trauma |
