Seizures - Shared Experiences

[Jamie Davis, the Podmedic]

This week's episode (2/2/2009) is covering seizures for the tip of the week. I kicked off the discussion by saying that seizures are not always or even usually a medical emergency in and of themselves.

That said, it doesn't mean that they aren't likely to freak the bystanders or family members out. Maybe the seizing patient freaks you out if they are your first actively seizing patient. This particular thread is a discussion of shared experiences.

What kind of seizure patients have you had experiences with? Share them here at the MedicCast forums with the other community members.

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You'll find other info on seizures and more tips for EMS providers and EMT and paramedic students at the MedicCastExtra.com site. If you are looking for good study resources to help you pass your tough classes, they're just a click away at MedicCastExtra.com!

[James]

I've found SZ's to be fairly routine calls on the reservation, on par with low BGL calls and ETOH'ers as far as volume goes, some coinciding with the latter. Generally from my experience most of the patients and their families were familiar with the SxS and knew what to do and not to do, and alot of patients could tell me when they were about to have one when we were enroute.

Among the most "frightening" for bystanders and families were generally young adults or pediatric seizures, I think in general a febrile seizure is scary to just about anyone.

[Laut77]

Seizures is a serious medical problem in my opinion. We recognize it and treat if need be. My problem I have is the ems crews who wait on scene for the patient to become CAOx3 just to get a refusal. The system I am involved in does not have I-stats or any pre-hospital lab data system. I doubt the I-stat even measures a dilantin level. Then the ems crew will not even call medical control for authorization to get the refusal and just get the pt to sign and clear, in my opinion that is practicing medicine without a license. Another seizure discussion that could be a show of its own is Valium vs Versed....I have reservations of giving versed to a seizing patient, I feel it only knocks out there motor response on the outside, but until I see a study of what the brain is still doing on the inside....If thats the only drug left in my arsenal of course I wont deprive the pt of tx, but if not it can sit on the shelf......