Ch. 66 Seizures/Headaches – Study Guide Learning Objectives
66. 7 Explain the various types and causes of seizures and develop a plan of care for the patient
experiencing seizures.
• Differentiate between the stages of a seizure o Prodromal
o When symptoms start to appear prior to the big event o Mood changes
– depression, anger issues, sleeping, anxiety, GI & urinary issues
o Can start days before a seizure happens
o Aura
o Does NOT happen with all types
Focal seizures or tonic clonic types o Happens at very beginning of a
seizure … WARNING SIGN a bigger seizure is expected
o Altered vision or hearing, anxiety or dread, déjà vu, dizzy, inability to
speak, sudden weird taste or smell
o Happens within seconds or minutes
o Ictus
o Actual seizure ….. about 1-3 minutes
TIME the seizure o Greater than 5 minutes or starts to have seizures
back-toback = STATUS EPILEPTICUS
Needs immediate medical treatment to m are seizure stop
o Post Ictus o AFTER the seizure…. Recovery Time
for the brain to recover
Takes hours to days (tonic-clonic) OR immediate
(absence) o Very tired, want to sleep, confused,
headache, injury
(tongue, check, body)
• Differentiate between the various types of seizures; Understand the
symptoms and expected findings for each type of seizure. o
Generalized Seizures o Tonic-clonic (grand-mal)
Most common
Aura
Lose consciousness – injury
Tonic – body stiffening
Clonic – Recurrent jerking
1-3 minutes, >5 – Status Epilepticus
Post ictus: sore, sleepy, memory loss, headache o
Absence (petit-mail)
Most common in peds (80% outgrow)
Hallmark – staring
Go unnoticed
Very short – seconds
Post ictus – immediate, wont remember anything o
Atonic (drop attacks)
Without muscle tone
66. 7 Explain the various types and causes of seizures and develop a plan of care for the patient
experiencing seizures.
• Differentiate between the stages of a seizure o Prodromal
o When symptoms start to appear prior to the big event o Mood changes
– depression, anger issues, sleeping, anxiety, GI & urinary issues
o Can start days before a seizure happens
o Aura
o Does NOT happen with all types
Focal seizures or tonic clonic types o Happens at very beginning of a
seizure … WARNING SIGN a bigger seizure is expected
o Altered vision or hearing, anxiety or dread, déjà vu, dizzy, inability to
speak, sudden weird taste or smell
o Happens within seconds or minutes
o Ictus
o Actual seizure ….. about 1-3 minutes
TIME the seizure o Greater than 5 minutes or starts to have seizures
back-toback = STATUS EPILEPTICUS
Needs immediate medical treatment to m are seizure stop
o Post Ictus o AFTER the seizure…. Recovery Time
for the brain to recover
Takes hours to days (tonic-clonic) OR immediate
(absence) o Very tired, want to sleep, confused,
headache, injury
(tongue, check, body)
• Differentiate between the various types of seizures; Understand the
symptoms and expected findings for each type of seizure. o
Generalized Seizures o Tonic-clonic (grand-mal)
Most common
Aura
Lose consciousness – injury
Tonic – body stiffening
Clonic – Recurrent jerking
1-3 minutes, >5 – Status Epilepticus
Post ictus: sore, sleepy, memory loss, headache o
Absence (petit-mail)
Most common in peds (80% outgrow)
Hallmark – staring
Go unnoticed
Very short – seconds
Post ictus – immediate, wont remember anything o
Atonic (drop attacks)
Without muscle tone
