National Nursing Review : Nursing Study Resources & Health Tips

Epilepsy is a common disease. Its overall prevalence is estimated to be 0.5% of the population, with a maximum risk during childhood, since 50% of epilepsies in fact occur before the age of 10. The etiology of epilepsy remains unexplained in more than 50% of cases.
I – DEFINITION
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder manifested by paroxysms related activity hypersynchronous and abnormal neuronal population. Note:

• There is not no without clinical epilepsy: paroxysmal abnormalities in the EEG without clinical not enough to define epilepsy.
• The paroxysmal nature and its clinical translation are necessarily rough.
• It is stereotypical for each patient depending on the neuronal localization
• The clinical and EEG allow the formulation of a hypothesis when the neuronal localization
• The chronological sequence of symptoms may change during disease

II – THE CLASSIFICATION OF EPILEPSY.
The difference between partial and generalized epilepsy is the concept of neuronal discharge localized or generalized. There are also secondary epilepsy due to a lesion or dysfunction in general.
III – generalized seizures.
A – tonic-clonic generalized
This crisis is manifested by a sudden loss of consciousness without prodrome, with a fall. In its complete form it has a tonic phase of 10 to 20 seconds, during which there is a contraction of all muscles, with a phase flexion and extension of four limbs and trunk, contraction of the masseter. Clonic phase follows an approximately 30 seconds, characterized by sudden twitching of members in bending with clone facial and jaw.
Apnea associated with the phase of tonic contraction causes cyanosis accompanied by autonomic signs (mydriasis, piloerection, hypertension, tachycardia) and secretory phenomena (salivation and tracheo-bronchial congestion). It was also during this phase of tonic-clonic crisis that may occur biting language conventionally side. (more…)