Seizure Types and Characteristics Quiz

Seizure Types and Characteristics

• Focal Motor Seizures: Abnormal brain activity localized to specific motor areas.
• Jacksonian March: A form of focal seizure that begins in one area and can progressively involve adjacent areas of the body.
• Tonic-Clonic Seizures:
  • Tonic phase: Stiffening of muscles with loss of consciousness.
  • Clonic phase: Rhythmic movement of extremities follows.
• Absence Seizures (Petit Mal): Characterized by brief loss of consciousness, often appearing as daydreaming.
• Myoclonic Seizures: Brief, shock-like jerks of muscles or extremities.
• Atonic Seizures (Drop Attacks): Sudden loss of muscle tone resulting in collapse.
• Status Epilepticus: A medical emergency involving continuous seizures lasting 30 minutes or more that can lead to permanent brain damage.
• Aura: Warning signs that may precede a seizure, including dizziness and sensory disturbances.

Medical Treatment for Seizures

• Underlying Condition Resolution: First step in treatment.
• Anticonvulsant Drug Therapy: Mainstay for seizure management, inhibiting neuron hyperexcitability.
  • Phenytoin (Dilantin): Side effects include gingival hyperplasia and drowsiness; requires monitoring and good oral care.
  • Pregabalin (Lyrica): Reduces seizure activity; side effect is drowsiness, requiring safety precautions and tapering off.

Surgical Interventions

• Seizure Foci Removal: Targeting areas of overactive brain activity, often in the temporal lobe.
• Pallidotomy: A procedure involving the destruction of tissue related to seizure activity using electrodes.
• Vagal Nerve Stimulator: Acts as a "brain pacemaker" to modulate seizure activity.

Immediate Care During Seizures

• Stay with the patient and ensure their safety.
• Clear surrounding objects, turn them onto their side, and never restrain them or place objects in their mouth.
• Document seizure details: duration, movements, and postictal state.

Postictal Care and Safety Precautions

• Postictal Period: Time following the seizure; monitor for drug administration and patient state.
• Ensure safety: secure rails on the bed, have suction equipment available, maintain a low bed position.
• Educate patient and family about seizure disorders and emergency responses.

Head Injury and Related Management

• Scalp Injuries: Can lead to lacerations, contusions, abrasions, or hematomas.
• Concussion: Closed head injury without visible brain damage.
• Bradycardia: Slow and irregular heart rate potentially arising from brain injury.

Managing Intracranial Pressure (ICP)

• Positioning and hyperventilation can lower ICP.
• Fluid management and possible mechanical drainage as needed.
• IV Mannitol: Osmotic diuretic used to reduce cerebral edema, increases urinary output, and decreases ICP.
• Corticosteroids: Administered to decrease swelling and pressure.

Headache Types and Management

• Migraine: Involves intracranial vasoconstriction and vasodilation; can be triggered by various factors.

  • Symptoms include unilateral pain, sensitivity to light/sound, and nausea.
  • Treatment varies from acetaminophen for mild migraines to ergotamine or sumatriptan for severe cases.

• Cluster Headaches: Intense, series of headaches followed by symptom-free periods; often related to stress or anxiety.

  • Treatment may include cold applications and indomethacin.

• Tension Headaches: Result from muscle contraction due to stress or other stimuli; often managed with relaxation techniques and analgesics.

Seizure Disorders Overview

• Caused by chaotic electrical impulses in the brain due to various factors, including trauma, infection, and electrolyte disturbances.
• Generalized vs. Partial Seizures: Generalized seizures involve the entire brain with lost consciousness, while partial seizures can be simple (no loss of consciousness) or complex (impaired consciousness).

Antiepileptic Drugs (AEDs)

• Hydantoins: Common anti-seizure medications such as phenytoin and fosphenytoin, associated with side effects like dizziness, gingival hyperplasia, and potentially severe hypersensitivity reactions.

Test your knowledge on various types of seizures and their characteristics. This quiz covers focal motor seizures, tonic-clonic seizures, absence seizures, and more. Understand the medical implications and treatment options available for seizure conditions.