Seizure Disorders: Essentials for Prehospital Providers

Course overview

Epilepsy has been shrouded in myth and misunderstanding throughout history. It is not a single disease entity; rather, it is a heterogeneous group of disorders that have a common thread, abnormal nerve cell (neuronal) activity that produces seizures. Prehospital intervention begins with assessment, and the assessment of the post-ictal patient can be critical to a patient's management. A detailed history will help determine seizure triggers and types. Through interview and observation, the provider needs to determine the duration of the seizure, what the patient was doing immediately before the seizure, what medications are taken, and the time of the last dose.