EPILEPTIC SEIZURES

DEFINITIONS ▪ Seizure-transient episode of disturbed cerebral function caused by abnormal excessive synchronous electrical discharge of cortical neurons ▪ Provoked seizures-a symptomatic seizure caused by a precipitating factor (e.g., fever, drugs, ethanol withdrawl, electrolyte abnormalities) ▪ Epilepsy-chronic medical condition characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures ▪ Status epilepticus-life-threatening condition defined by continuous seizures for ≥5 minutes or ≥2 seizures with incomplete recovery of consciousness between seizures (older definition of status epilepticus: seizures lasting >30 minutes) CLASSIFICATION OF EPILEPSY The International Classification of Epileptic Seizures is given in Table 1, and the features distinguishing secondarily generalized from primarily generalized seizures are listed in Table 2.