status epilepticus
Noun: A serious, life-threatening medical emergency characterized by a prolonged, continuous seizure activity lasting more than 5 minutes, or by recurrent seizures without the person regaining consciousness between them. This condition requires immediate medical intervention as it can lead to permanent brain damage or death.
The term is used exclusively as a medical noun to describe a specific neurological crisis. * The patient was admitted to the emergency department in status epilepticus. * Status epilepticus is defined as a seizure lasting longer than five minutes. * The primary goal of treatment is to terminate status epilepticus rapidly to prevent neuronal injury.
- Refractory status epilepticus: A form of status epilepticus that does not respond to first- and second-line anticonvulsant medications.
- Nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE): A type where prolonged seizure activity occurs in the brain but does not involve the prominent motor symptoms (convulsions) typically associated with seizures. Diagnosis often requires an electroencephalogram (EEG).
- Epilepsy (n): The underlying neurological disorder characterized by a predisposition to generate recurrent seizures.
- Seizure (n): A single event of abnormal, excessive electrical activity in the brain.
- Convulsion (n): A synonym for a seizure, often specifically referring to the involuntary, violent muscular contractions.
- Prolonged seizure
- Continuous seizure
- Seizure emergency
This term refers specifically to the state of continuous seizure activity, not to a single seizure event or to the chronic condition of epilepsy. It is a complication of epilepsy and other neurological conditions.
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a condition in which there are continuing attacks of epilepsy without intervals of consciousness; can lead to brain damage and death
