How do you manage patients who present in status epilepticus, knowing that “time is CNS function”? The longer patients remain seizing, the greater their morbidity and mortality.
Did you know that one study showed that 48% of their patients who presented in generalized convulsive status epilepticus (GCSE) had subtle persistent GCSE on EEG, despite no clinical evidence of overt seizure activity? That’s scary.
Do you send off a serum tricyclic toxicology screen for all your patients with GCSE? Because of the prevalence of TCA overdoses locally, our Neurology consultants definitely order it. We are picking up a surprising number of positive tricyclic tox screens.
PV Card: Status Epilepticus
Adapted from [1]
Go to ALiEM (PV) Cards for more resources.
Reference
- Shearer P, Riviello J. Generalized convulsive status epilepticus in adults and children: treatment guidelines and protocols. Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2011;29(1):51-64. [PubMed]
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