3. WHAT IS SEIZURES
Seizures are discrete, time-limited alterations
in brain function - including changes in
motor activity, autonomic function,
consciousness, or sensation -that result
from an abnormal and excessive electrical
discharge of a group of neurons within the
5. RISK FACTORS
• Family history
• Other vascular diseases
• Seizures in childhood.
Seizure producing stimuli(trauma,high
a small group of abnormal neurons undergo
prolonged depolarizations associated with
the rapid firing of repeated action potentials.
These abnormally discharging epileptic
neurons recruit adjacent neurons or
neurons with which they are connected into
7. PATHOPHYSIOLOGY (CONT.)
the electrical discharges of a large number of
cells become abnormally linked together
creating a storm of electrical activity in the
Seizures may spread to involve adjacent
areas of the brain or through established
anatomic pathways to other distant areas
10. PARTIAL SEIZURES
• a. Motor seizures
• d. Sensory seizures
• e. Autonomic seizures
• f. Psychic seizures
• . Impairment of
• b. Associated with
• c. Simple to complex
• Partial Seizures Secondarily Generalized
• Selected Epileptic Syndromes
A. Infantile Spasms
B. Febrile Seizure
C. Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome
D. Benign Rolandic epilepsy
E. Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy
12. PHASES OF CONVULSION
(1)PRODROMAL PHASE WITH SIGNS OR
ACTIVITY WHICH PRECEDE A SEIZURE;
(2)AURAL PHASE, WITH A SENSORY
(3)ICTAL PHASE WITH FULL SEIZURE;
(4) POSTICTAL PHASE WHICH IS THE
PERIOD OF RECOVERY AFTER THE
13. GENERALIZED TONIC-CLONIC SEIZURE
• Loss of consciousness is quickly followed by a
sudden fall to ground.
• In the tonic phase, muscles become rigid and
the simultaneous contractions of diaphragm
and chest muscles may produce the
characteristic "epileptic cry".
• The patient's eyes roll up or turn to the side and
the tongue may be bitten.
• The rigidity is replaced shortly by series of
synchronous clonic movements of head, face,
legs and arms.
14. GENERALIZED TONIC-CLONIC SEIZURE
• Autonomic changes also observed
included: increased blood
pressure,increased heart rate, and bladder
pressure; pupillary mydriasis;
hypersecretion of skin and salivary glands;
cyanosis of skin.
• Average duration 2 to 5 minutes.
• Postictally, patients lethargic/sleepy lasting
several minutes to hours.
• Incontinence seen in early postictal phase
16. ABSENCE SEIZURE
• Onset between 4 and 14 years and
often resolve by age 18.
• Brief episodes of staring with
impairment of awareness and
responsive that begin without warning
and end suddenly, leaving patient
alert and attentive.
• In simple absence seizures, patient
18. Atypical Absence:
• Onset between 1 to 7 years of age
• similar to typical absence except that loss of
responsiveness during seizure is often less
complete and more gradual in onset and
cessation; Also clonic, tonic and atonic
components (i.e., increase or decreases in
muscle tone) are more pronounced than in
• EEG findings: slow spike and wave (< 2.5 Hz)
discharge and/or incompletely generalized
19. ATONIC SEIZURE
• In the more common complex absence
seizures, staring is accompanied by
simple automatic movements such as
blinking of eyes, drooping of head, or
• Duration - short (10-45 secs), patients
usually unaware of occurrence.
• Abrupt recovery without after effects
20. Myoclonic Seizure
• Sudden, brief shock-like jerk of a
muscle or group of muscles, often
occurs in healthy people as they
• Epileptic myoclonus usually
causes synchronous and bilateral
jerks of the neck, shoulders, upper
arms, body, and upper legs.
21. Tonic seizures
• Characterized by sudden bilateral
stiffening of the body, arms, or legs.
Tonic seizures usually last less than 20
seconds and are more common during
• Primarily seen in younger children;
commonly associated with metabolic
disorder or underlying neurological
• Duration 10-60 seconds; brief, if any,
22. SIMPLE PARTIAL SEIZURES
• a. No loss of consciousness;
• b. Motor seizures :
• c. Sensory seizures:
• d. Autonomic seizures:
• e. Psychic seizures:
24. • A. IMPAIRMENT OF CONSCIOUSNESS
• Patients may appear to be conscious, closer
examination shows that they are unaware of
• fail to respond or respond inappropriately to
• are unable to remember the seizure episode.
25. • B. ASSOCIATED WITHINITIAL AURA(I.E., SIMPLEPARTIAL
SEIZURE)IN >50% OF PATIENTS
• The aura is a simple partial seizure which may
then progress to a complex partial (and/or
generalized tonic-clonic) seizure. Most common
forms of aura: fear, rising epigastric sensation,
unilateral "funny feeling" or "numbness", or
visual disturbances; focal twitching of face or
26. C. SIMPLE TO COMPLEX AUTOMATISMS (REPETITIVE MOTOR ACTIVITY
THAT IS PURPOSELESS, UNDIRECTED, AND INAPPROPRIATE)
• They are frequently observed during complex
partial seizures. Examples include repetitive
chewing or swallowing, lip smacking, fumbling
movements of fingers or hands, picking at clothing,
mumbling, moving about aimlessly, purposeless
behavior, and clumsy perseverance of a preceding
• Average duration 1 to 3 minutes
• Postictal phase - confusion, lethargy, altered
behaviour, amnesic for event
28. • partial seizure may progress through several
stages reflecting spread of discharge to different
brain areas. For example, seizure may begin as
simple partial (i.e., aura), progress to complex
partial and subsequently become secondarily
30. A. Infantile Spasms
• Consist of sudden flexion of the head with
abduction and extension of arms, accompanied by
flexion of knees and often a little grunt or cry.
Spasms may also be extension rather than flexion..
• Onset -between 4 to 7 months of age
• Characterized by spasms, developmental
• Spasms may be flexor (jackknife), extensor or
• spasms usually disappear by age 3 or 4, but child
left profoundly handicapped, retarded, and often
with Lennox-Gaustaut syndrome
31. • B. Febrile Seizures
• Convulsions that occur with fever (> 38oC)
in children between 6 months and 6 years of
age, not secondary to an infection of brain
• Prevalence: 2 to 5% of all children will have
a febrile seizure before 6 y/o; Peak
incidence at 2 years of age.
• Intellectual dysfunction and neurologic
sequelae may occur following febrile status
32. • C. Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome:
• This syndrome is characterized by the triad
of intractable seizures, mental and
developmental retardation, and slow spike
and wave pattern on the EEG.
• begin between ages 1 and 6 years
• respond poorly to antiepileptic drugs.
• Behavioral problems are common
• Probably result from the underlying
neurologic injury, effects of frequent
seizures and head injuries, and high-dose
combinations of antiepileptic drugs.
33. • D. Benign Rolandic epilepsy:
• This syndrome frequently begins in children
with a family history of epilepsy.
• Characteristic sign is a partial motor or
somatosensory seizure involving the face.
• Tonic-clonic seizures may also occur,
especially during sleep.
• The seizures are infrequent (some patients
require no medications), are easily
controlled with antiepileptic drug therapy,
and stop spontaneously by age 15.
34. • E. Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy:
• These myoclonic seizures, with or without tonic-
clonic or absence seizures, usually begin
shortly before or after puberty but may first
occur in early adulthood.
• Mental developemnt is normal.
36. WHAT IS STATUS EPILEPTICUS?
Status epilepticus (acute prolonged seizure
activity) is a series of generalised that
occur without full recovery of
consciousness between attack.The term
has been broadened to include clinical or
electrical seizure lasting at least 30
minutes,even without impairment of
45. ANTI-EPILEPTIC DRUG (AED)
• A drug which decreases the frequency and/or
severity of seizures in people with epilepsy
• Treats the symptom of seizures, not the
underlying epileptic condition
• Goal: maximize quality of life by minimizing
seizures and adverse drug effects
• Currently no “anti-epileptogenic” drugs
the right AED
Interactions/other medical conditions
Expected adverse effects
• HISTORY, INCLUDING PRENATAL,
BIRTH, AND DEVELOPMENTAL
HISTORY, FAMILY HISTORY, AGE AT
SEIZURE ONSET, HISTORY OF ALL
ILLNESS AND TRAUMAS.
•DETERMINE WHETHER THE PATIENT
HAS AN AURA BEFORE AN EPILEPTIC
SEIZURE, WHICH MAY INDICATE THE
ORIGIN OF SEIZURE.
70. NURSING DIAGNOSIS
1. Risk for trauma
2. Risk for suffocation
3. Risk for Ineffective Airway Clearance
4. Risk for Ineffective Breathing Pattern
5. Low Self-Esteem related to Stigma
associated with condition perception of being
out of control
6. Knowledge Deficit related to lack of exposure, unfamiliarity
with resources Information misinterpretation lack of recall;
Notes de l'éditeur
3 main categories of therapeutics:
Inhibition of voltage-gated Na+ channels to slow neuron firing.
Enhancement of the inhibitory effects of the neurotransmitter GABA.
Inhibition of calcium channels.
Chronic therapy with antiseizure drugs is associated with specific toxic effects
Children born of mothers taking anticonvulsant drugs have an increased risk of congenital malformations.
Neural tube defects (spina bifida) are associated with the use of valproic acid.
Carbamazepine has been implicated as a cause of craniofacial anomalies and spina bifida
Fetal hydantoin syndrome has been described after phenytoin use by pregnant women
Most of the commonly used anticonvulsants are CNS depressants, and respiratory depression may occur with overdose
Management is primarily supportive
Fatal hepatotoxicity has occurred with Valproic acid, with the greatest risk to children younger than 2 yrs and patients taking multiple anticonvulsant drugs.
Lamotrigine has caused skin rashes and life-threatening Stevens-Johnson syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis. Children are at higher risk, esp if they are taking Valproic acid
Zonisamide may also cause severe skin reactions
Felbamate has been limited to use because of reports of aplastic anemia and acute hepatic failure