Abnormal brain electrical activity

Description

Seizure or abnormal brain electrical activity. There are many different types of convulsive seizures. The most common is generalized seizure. It is also called tonic clonic or grand mal seizure. Other types of the seizures are petit mal, partial (focal) seizure, febrile convulsions and seizure due to alcohol abstinence. Patient can have one seizure or serie of the seizures. The persons, with repeated seizures or with the risk of having repeated seizure, have the epilepsy. A convulsion is a result of abnormal electrical discharge in the brain. The seizure can occur from different reasons such as head injuries, infections, metabolic problems (e.g. low level of sugar in the blood), the existance of the tumor or use of narcotic drugs. Often the exact cause of the seizure cannot be determined.

Symptoms

Symptoms are different depending on the type of the seizure. There are those which are manifested as period of reduced consciousness and which may look only like a moment of staring (petit mal) or those with loss of consciousness followed by uncontrolled twitching of arms and legs, involuntary urination and defecation, after which follows a period of confusion.

Overview

Anamnesis and physical examination will be performed. Which will be the examination to be performed depend on the circimstances of the seizure. If it is a first attack, diagnostic evaluation which involves blood analysis and CT scan of the head or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will be performed. Electroencephalogram imaging (EEG) will often show characteristic patterns of brain waves which are proper for the disorder which is the causer of the attack. Blood analysis will be done in patients who are already being treated from epilepsy with anti-seizure drugs to determine level of medicine that is present and to achieve in that way better control of seizure prevention.

Tests

Alcohol level in the blood, complete blood count (CBC), biochemical blood analysis, CT scan, electroencephalogram (EEG), lumbar punction (LP), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and toxicological analysis of urine.

Specialists

General Practice, Internal Medicine, Neurology

Therapy

Treatment depends on the circumstances under which the seizure has occurred. If the seizures do not stop on their own, medicines for their prevention should be given urgently because long seizures can damage the brain. A glucose level in the blood should be checked immediately and increased if it is low. If given dose of medicine for seizure prevention has not been enough, it should be increased. Both antibiotics and antiviral drugs can also be prescribed if an infection is suspected.