Basics
- Seizure- abnormal electrical activity in the brain that results in an alteration in sensation, motor function, behavior, or consciousness
- Epilepsy- A seizure disorder characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures
- It is possible to have a seizure without having epilepsy
- An exact description of the seizure is important because the different treatment options often depend on the type of seizures that you or family member are experiencing.
Symptoms and Signs
- There are many different types of seizures and the most common is called a generalized tonic-clonic (aka grand mal) seizure
- Seizures can range from a blank stare (Absence seizure) to a rhythmic jerking of the arms and legs (grand mal seizure)
Demographics
- Occur in all age groups but a new, unprovoked seizure in an adult should be worked up for an underlying cause
- Most commonly occur in kids and young adults
Diagnosis
Treatment
- Anticonvulsants- there are many different medications used to treat seizures/epilepsy and often multiple drugs/combinations are required in order to maintain adequate control
- Surgery- there are many different surgical options for intractable epilepsy (the cases in which medication does not control).
Prognosis
- Dependent on the type and underlying cause of the seizures
- Surgical treatment of poorly controlled epilepsy has improved seizure frequency in a subset of epilepsy patients
Differential Diagnosis
- Metabolic abnormality
- Non-epileptic seizures- a psychiatric condition
