Abstract
Status epilepticus is one of the most common neurological emergencies and is likely
to have increasing prevalence in coming years given an aging “baby boomer” population
in the United States. Because status epilepticus is associated with significant morbidity
and mortality, identification and treatment are paramount. Care should be taken to
exclude nonorganic mimics and infectious and metabolic causes. Status epilepticus
can be classified into stages with associated recommendations for escalation in therapy,
increasing from push-dose benzodiazepines to continuous anesthetic infusions and other
nontraditional therapies. Concurrent electroencephalogram monitoring helps to identify,
localize, and assess resolution of ictal patterns alongside antiseizure drug administration.
A protocol is proposed for the management of status epilepticus in a step-wise fashion.
Keywords
status epilepticus - work-up - management - adults