Abstract
Suspected epileptic seizures are a frequent cause of emergency hospital care. After
single seizures, the emergency management includes safety measures and diagnostic
efforts to distinguish epileptic seizures from its manifold mimics and to possibly
detect acute causes of epileptic seizures. Convulsive status epilepticus requires
rapid anticonvulsant treatment according to established protocols and diagnostics
to rule out underlying acute brain diseases. After a first seizure, typical EEG- and
MRI findings may indicate an elevated recurrence risk, thereby justifying the ultimate
diagnosis of epilepsy and initiation of anticonvulsant therapy. This article reviews
the recent definition of epilepsy, summarizes clinical characteristics of epileptic
seizures and its mimics and provides an overview of established therapies of single
convulsive seizures, convulsive status epilepticus and early care of adults after
first unprovoked seizures.
Bei einem vermuteten epileptischen Anfall muss schnell eine korrekte Diagnose erfolgen
und zwischen „echtem“ epileptischem Anfall, konvulsiver Synkope, psychogenem Anfall
oder selteneren Epilepsiesyndromen differenziert werden. Es muss dringlich geklärt
werden, ob akut-symptomatische Auslöser vorliegen. Der vorliegende Artikel fasst die
aktuellen Diagnosekriterien zusammen und gibt einen Überblick über etablierte Therapien
in der Akutsituation.
Schlüsselwörter
Status epilepticus - erster epileptischer Anfall - Notfallmanagement - Erstversorgung
- Antikonvulsiva
Key words
status epilepticus - first epileptic seizure - first aid treatment - anticonvulsant
drugs