Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)Toggle: English / SpanishServices at Maryland GeneralA complete list of inpatient and outpatient healthcare services at MGH.Seizures - OverviewAlternative NamesSecondary seizures; Reactive seizures; Seizure - secondary; Seizure - reactive Definition of Seizures:A seizure is the physical findings or changes in behavior that occur after an episode of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. See also:
Considerations:There are a wide variety of possible symptoms of seizures, depending on what parts of the brain are involved. Many, if not all, types of seizures cause loss of awareness and some cause twitching or shaking of the body. However, some seizures may be hard to notice because they consist of staring spells that can easily go unnoticed. Occasionally, seizures can cause temporary changes in sensation or vision. Symptoms of seizures come on suddenly, over just seconds to a minute, and may include:
Symptoms may stop after a few minutes, or continue for 15 minutes. They rarely continue longer. Shaking of the entire body when it occurs should last a few minutes and stop within 5 minutes. Common Causes:A seizure may be related to a temporary condition, such as exposure to drugs, withdrawal from certain drugs, a high fever, or abnormal levels of sodium or glucose in the blood. If the repeated seizures do not happen again once the underlying problem is corrected, the person does not have epilepsy. In other cases, injury to the brain (for example, stroke or head injury) causes brain tissue to be abnormally excited. In some people, a problem that is passed down through families (inherited) affects nerve cells in the brain, which leads to seizures. In these cases, the seizures happen spontaneously, without an immediate cause, and repeat over time. This is epilepsy. Idiopathic seizures are chronic seizures that occur without an identifiable cause. They usually begin between ages 5 and 20, but can occur at any age. The person can have a family history of epilepsy or seizures. Other more common causes of seizures include:
ReferencesFoldvary-Schaefer N, Wyllie E. Epilepsy. In: Goetz CG. Textbook of Clinical Neurology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 52. Krumholz A, Wiebe S, Gronseth G, et al. Practice parameter: evaluating an apparent unprovoked first seizure in adults (an evidence-based review): report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy Society. Neurology. 2007;69(21):1991-2007. Pollack CV Jr. Seizures. In: Marx JA, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Mosby Elsevier; 2006:chap 100. Spenser SS. Seizures and epilepsy. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 426. Related ArticlesThe information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
| About Us · Contact Us · Phone Listing · Residency Programs · Site Map · Site Search · Links · FAQs |