Seizure Emergencies
Some people may have easy to control seizures and never have emergency situations. However, some factors may make you more likely to have uncontrolled seizures and seizure emergencies. It’s important to know if you have any of these risk factors and to talk to your doctor about your risks.
What Is a Seizure Emergency?
Most seizures end on their own, last seconds or a few minutes, and do not cause lasting harm to the person. A seizure is considered an emergency when it threatens temporary or permanent harm to a person’s health. Just like there are different types of seizures, there are also different types of emergencies.
Seizure Clusters
Seizure clusters, also called acute repetitive seizures, may not be emergencies by themselves. But a cluster of seizures where each seizure gets longer or seizures occur close together could develop into an emergency. Each individual seizure may not be an emergency, but the situation can develop into a type of seizure emergency, called status epilepticus. By stopping the seizure cluster, you reduce the risk of an even more serious seizure emergency.
Status Epilepticus
Status epilepticus is a medical emergency that describes two different situations:
- A whole body (generalized or convulsive) seizure lasts more than 5 minutes.
- Two or more seizures occur so close together that the person does not regain full consciousness between seizures. Both situations can be life-threatening.
Everyone should know how to recognize status epilepticus and when to call for emergency help.
Injuries or Illnesses
Most injuries are minor and can be treated at home. Serious injuries or other medical problems (such as breathing difficulties or heart rate problems) can occur during a seizure. A person may be confused immediately after a seizure. Sometimes, after repeated or prolonged seizures, a person may display aggressive behavior. This may continue for hours or even for a few days.
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Getting Emergency HelpAm I At Risk for a Seizure Emergency?
Read through the lists below. If you answer yes to any of these questions, talk to your healthcare team. Discuss your risks for emergencies and what to do next.
Have You Ever:
- Been diagnosed with status epilepticus?
- Had one seizure right after another?
- Had clusters of seizures over a number of hours or days?
- Had a tonic clonic or absence seizure lasting 5 minutes or longer?
- Had long focal aware or focal impaired awareness seizures or periods of confusion?
- Started or stopped medicines without medical advice?
Do You Have:
- Continued seizures not controlled by treatment?
- A known structural cause of seizures, such as: an infection, stroke, tumor, vascular malformation, or cyst?
- Problems remembering to take your medicines on a consistent schedule?
- Low blood levels of medicine?
- More seizures during medicine changes?
- Trouble affording medicine?
- Seizures during sleep?
- Anyone living with you, or do you live alone?
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Responding to Seizure EmergenciesDo You Have Trouble Taking Medications?
Not taking medications consistently and as prescribed is one of the most common risk factors for seizure emergencies. If you or your loved one has problems taking medications, talk to your healthcare provider about how to create effective reminders for taking medicine. Below are tips to help take your medication:
- Look at resources to help with common medication issues.
- Find ways to help with the cost of medicines.
- Use a variety of tools to help manage your epilepsy, like a seizure diary to keep track of medications or set reminders to take your medicine or order refills.
Creating a Plan
If you've checked one or more problems on this list, it’s time to make sure you have a plan for preventing seizure emergencies and managing your medicines. Take the list to your doctor and talk about what this means for you - ask for help assessing your risks.
Ask your provider for a seizure action plan (SAP) or acute seizure action plan (ASAP).
Resources
Epilepsy Centers
Epilepsy centers provide you with a team of specialists to help you diagnose your epilepsy and explore treatment options.
Epilepsy Medication
Find in-depth information on anti-seizure medications so you know what to ask your doctor.
Epilepsy and Seizures Helpline
Call our Epilepsy and Seizures Helpline and talk with an epilepsy information specialist or submit a question online.
Tools & Resources
Get information, tips, and more to help you manage your epilepsy.
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