What happens if a seizure lasts too long

SE becomes epileptogenic seizure sustaining by enhancing hyperexcitable networks; the seizure becomes self-sustaining. SE may be convulsive or nonconvulsive. Usually, the patient loses consciousness or develops an altered sense of awareness. Coma may develop. Otherwise inexplicable behavioral abnormalities like coma, fugue states an amnesia-like condition , sleepwalking, aphasia, or paranoia can occur. The most common cause of SE is a medication change or medication nonadherence.

In these common cases, the prognosis for full recovery is good. Stroke is the most common cause of acute SE unrelated to epilepsy. In children, fever and infection are the most common causes.

In older adults, cardiovascular disease is more important. Similarly, if the SE is a presenting manifestation of epilepsy, prognosis is also good once the condition is managed with anticonvulsants. If the etiology is one listed in Table 2, prognosis is directly correlated with the condition.

More rapid diagnosis and better treatments have decreased mortality over the past 50 years. The old and the very old are more likely to die after experiencing SE, usually from the underlying cause.

Although SE occurs in a range of presentations with some being more life-threatening than others, it always requires aggressive action. Emergency care is needed, with supportive care until the patient can be transported to a hospital. Emergency medical system personnel may administer anticonvulsants upon arrival if the seizure continues beyond 5 minutes.

Rectal diazepam or midazolam given via the buccal or intranasal route are usually the first drugs tried at home or in the ambulance. Maintenance of respiratory function is critical. Once the patient arrives at the hospital, the medical team will establish intravenous access for medication administration.

Intravenous lorazepam is the first-line benzodiazepine. If drug intoxication is the probable cause, they may use naltrexone. Benzodiazepines followed by phenytoin, fosphenytoin, valproate, levetiracetam, or other antiepileptic drugs AEDs are the next step. If necessary, hospital personnel will intubate. Usual monitoring is supplemented with electroencephalogram.

Concurrently, the emergency team will use any medical history available from family or observers to determine the most reasonable approach. If the patient is epileptic, they will draw blood to determine if subtherapeutic levels are the cause.

With all patients, they also perform diagnostic studies to identify a cause and treat it appropriately. Refractory SE poses a treatment dilemma.

This means that although they are no longer unconscious, they are not yet fully aware of their surroundings. During this time, the person may experience sleepiness, confusion, and agitation.

This can last for a few minutes or several hours. A seizure is the result of an imbalance of the excitation and inhibition parts of the brain. This imbalance can result from genetic or environmental factors. An electroencephalogram EEG test measures the electrical activity of the brain. People who have epilepsy tend to have certain EEG patterns that mean that they are more likely to have seizures.

People may also need to undergo an MRI scan , which looks at changes in the brain that may cause seizures. Most tonic-clonic seizures stop by themselves, and people do not usually need to take antiseizure medications. However, if a person needs emergency treatment, doctors will usually administer benzodiazepines intravenously or intranasally.

A person may require antiepileptic medications to reduce the risk of seizures happening again. There are several risk factors for experiencing a seizure. These factors include :. There is also evidence to suggest that not getting enough sleep and exposure to flashing lights, such as strobe lights in nightclubs, can trigger seizures in certain people.

Although people can develop epilepsy at any age, it is more common for people to develop it in childhood or over the age of 60 years. However, having many seizures, or having seizures that are particularly severe, may cause a person to become more forgetful or find it difficult to concentrate. People with epilepsy have an increased risk of developing depression.

People are also at higher risk of anxiety. This may need medical treatment, often in the form of antidepressants or therapy. It is possible to die from a tonic-clonic seizure. For example, some people may fatally injure themselves while having a seizure, or they may drown if they have a seizure in water.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC , this happens in about 1 in every 1, people with epilepsy every year. For example, while having a seizure, a person may unintentionally pause their breathing.

If they pause for too long between breaths, the oxygen in their blood may drop to a life threatening level. A seizure may also cause cardiac arrest. Stay with the person until he or she is awake and familiar with the surroundings. Most people will be sleepy or confused after a seizure. Things to watch for during a seizure You may be able to provide valuable feedback to the doctor treating the person having the seizure. Try to remember: How the person's body moved. How long the seizure lasted.

How the person acted before the seizure. How the person acted immediately after the seizure. Whether the person suffered any injuries from the seizure. When to seek emergency help Seizures do not always require urgent care.

But call or other emergency services immediately if: The person having a seizure stops breathing for longer than 30 seconds. After calling or other emergency services, begin rescue breathing. The seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes. The person may have entered a life-threatening state of prolonged seizure called status epilepticus. The person seizing is pregnant no matter how long the seizure lasts. More than one seizure occurs within 24 hours.

The person having a seizure does not respond normally within 1 hour. The person has new symptoms, such as trouble walking, speaking, or thinking clearly. The person has a fever. A seizure occurs after the person complains of a sudden, severe headache. A seizure follows a head injury. A person with diabetes has a seizure. Low blood sugar hypoglycemia or very high blood sugar hyperglycemia can cause seizures in a person who has diabetes. A seizure occurs after eating poison or breathing fumes.

The person complains of severe pain after waking up or develops a fever within 24 hours of the seizure. Related Information Epilepsy Seizures.