1 / 21

Neurological Emergencies

Neurological Emergencies. Dr. Amal Alkhotani MBBCH, FRCPC, Epilepsy and EEG. 24 year old male patient with history of generalized seizure disorder since age of 10. He was brought to emergency department with 3 GTC seizures without recovery of consciousness.

menora
Download Presentation

Neurological Emergencies

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Neurological Emergencies Dr. AmalAlkhotani MBBCH, FRCPC, Epilepsy and EEG

  2. 24 year old male patient with history of generalized seizure disorder since age of 10. He was brought to emergency department with 3 GTC seizures without recovery of consciousness. • In emergency room patient started to have GTC that persist after 5 minutes.

  3. What is status epilepticus? • What are major causes of SE? • What is the potential complication of SE? • What is your management plan for this patient?

  4. Status epilepticus • Traditionally SE is defined as continuous or repetitive seizure activity persisting for at least 30 minutes without recovery of consciousness between attacks. • Recently definition changed to consider seizure lasting 5 to 10minutes is considered as SE. ( Jenssen et al,2006)

  5. Causes • Prior history of epilepsy 22- 26% • Stroke 19-20% • Medication change 18% • ETOH/ drugs 12% • Others :-- Anoxia- Metabolic- Infection- Trauma- Tumor

  6. Complications • Overall mortality is approximately 17- 26% • 10- 23% of patients who survive SE left with new or disabling neurologic deficit.

  7. Complications • Neuronal injury. • Systemic disturbance:-- Pulmonary edema- High output failure.- Cardiac arrhythmia- Aspiration pneumonia.- Fever.- metabolic disturbance.- Hypoxia- Acute tubular necrosis.- Rhabdomyolysis.

  8. Classification • Convulsive. • Nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE).

  9. Management • Initial step involve basic life support; administer O2, check vital signs, assessing and maintaining airway, establishing IV access. • Check blood glucose, send blood for CBC, chemistry, Ca, Mg, PO4, LFTs, AED drug levels & toxicology screen.

  10. 1st line agents • Benzodiazepines e.g. lorazepam, diazepam. • Use 2-4 mg of lorazepam IV: may repeat if seizure persist, repeateX1in 5 minutes. • Or use diazepam 2.5mg to 5 mg IV. • In absence of of IV access use diazepam 20mg rectally or midazolam 10 mg buccally or IM.

  11. 2nd line agents • IV phenytoin or fosphenytoin( not available). • Phenytoin 20mg/kg at rate of 50mg/min. • Patient should be on cardiac monitor. Why? • DO NOT MIX WITH GLUCOSE/ DEXTROSE.

  12. Valproic acid IV can be used instead of phenytoin. • Loading dose of 30mg/kg to 60mg/kg can be used. • RCT compared IV VPA to IV phenytoin in patient with SE showed better response to VPA group (66% VS 44% in phenytoin treated patient) • IV valproic acid is NOT AVAILABLE at KSA.

  13. Refractory SE • Defined as generalized convulsive or NCSE that persist clinically or electrographically despite 1st & 2nd line treatment. • Mortality in RSE is about 50%.

  14. Medications that can be used in patient with RSE • One of the following drugs can be used ( patient need an intubation and admission to ICU)1- Midazolam infusion.2- Propofol infusion.3- IV phenobarbital loading. If Sz persist can switch to1or 2 or use continous IV phenobarbital infusion.

  15. Remember • Look for and treat underlying cause. • Have a high suspension for encephalitis in a new onset SE. • The longer duration of seizure is the worse prognosis.

  16. Headache • 67 year old female present with sudden severe headache and rapidly deteriorating LOC. • 23 year old with chronic headache present to ER with unilateral headache & vomiting that did not respond to simple analgesic. • 25 year old female on oral contraceptives present with 1 week history of progressive headache and new onset right leg weakness.

  17. Red Flags For Worrisome Headaches • New onset headache or onset of new type of headache or change of preexisting headache. • Progressive worsening headache. • Worst ever pain. • Age > 50. • Abrupt onset headache. • Headache initiated by exertion or valsalva. • Head trauma. • Neurological symptoms & signs. • Systemic symptoms & signs. • Secondary risk factors.

  18. What will be your next step in evaluating patient number 1? • Important physical signs:1- vital signs.2- LOC.3-Meningeal signs.4- Fundus examination.5- localizing neurological signs. • CT head looking for SAH. • If CT is normal lumber puncture should be performed.

  19. Management plan for SAH • ABC • Admit to high dependency area. • Bed rest & analgesia. • BP control AVOID NITROPRUSSIDE or NITROGLYCERINE. Labetalol is preferred. • Arrange for cerebral angiogram. • Neurosurgery.

  20. Questions

More Related