NEW ONSET REFRACTORY STATUS EPILEPTICUS

Course overview

NEW-ONSET REFRACTORY STATUS EPILEPTICUS (NORSE) IS AN UNCOMMON CLINICAL ENTITY WITH A MORTALITY RATE OF 16-27% IN ADULTS AND SIGNIFICANT LONG-TERM NEUROLOGICAL SEQUELAE. APPROXIMATELY 50% OF PATIENTS WITH NORSE HAVE AN UNKNOWN ETIOLOGY DESPITE AN EXTENSIVE WORKUP. THERE IS A LACK OF CONSENSUS REGARDING THE BEST TREATMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR MANAGING PATIENTS WITH NORSE. HOWEVER, IMMEDIATE CESSATION OF SEIZURE ACTIVITY, EARLY INSTITUTION OF CONTINUOUS INFUSION OF ANESTHETIC AGENTS, AND IMMUNOTHERAPIES CAN PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN REDUCING MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN NORSE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE AND HIGHLIGHTS THE HEALTHCARE TEAM'S ROLE IN MANAGING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.