Template:Seizure actively seizing management
Seizure Precautions
- Protect patient from injury
- If possible, place patient in left lateral position to reduce risk of aspiration
- Do not place bite block!
- Jaw thrust, a NPA and oxygen may be required
- An IV line should be placed
Medications
- Benzodiazepine (Initial treatment of choice)[1]
- Midazolam IM 10 mg (> 40 kg), 5mg (13-40 kg), or 0.2 mg/kg[2]
- May also be given IN at 0.2 mg/kg, max 10 mg
- OR buccal at 0.3 mg/kg, max 10 mg
- Lorazepam IV 4 mg or 0.1 mg/kg; may repeat one dose[3]
- Diazepam IV 0.15-0.2 mg/kg (up to 10 mg); may repeat one dose or PR 0.2-0.5 mg/kg (up to 20 mg) once [4]
- Midazolam IM 10 mg (> 40 kg), 5mg (13-40 kg), or 0.2 mg/kg[2]
- Secondary medications
- ESETT trial[5] compared second line antiseizure medications and they all are equally efficacious. Therefore may be best to use the one with least side effects [6] which is Levetiracetam
- Levetiracetam IV 60 mg/kg, max 4500 mg/dose, or 1500 mg oral load (preferred in pregnancy)
- Phenytoin IV 18 mg/kg at ≤ 50 mg/min
- Fosphenytoin IV 20-30 mg/kg at 150 mg/min (may also be given IM)
- Contraindicated in pts w/ 2nd or 3rd degree AV block
- Avoid phenytoin or fosphenytoin in suspected toxicology case due to sodium channel blockade
- Valproic acid IV 20-40 mg/kg at 5 mg/kg/min, max 3000 mg (avoid in pregnancy)
- Refractory medications
- Propofol 2-5mg/kg, then infusion of 2-10mg/kg/hr OR
- Midazolam 0.2mg/kg, then infusion of 0.05-2mg/kg/hr OR
- Ketamine loading dose 0.5 to 3 mg/kg, followed by infusion of 0.3 to 4 mg/kg/hr[7]
- Lacosamide IV 400 mg IV loading dose over 15 min, then maintenance dose of 200 mg q12hrs PO/IV[8]
- Phenobarbital IV 15-20 mg/kg at 50-75 mg/min[9]
- Then continuous infusion at 0.5-4.0 mg/kg/hr
- Dose adjusted to suppression-burst pattern on continuous EEG
- Consider consulting anesthesia for inhaled anesthetics (potent anticonvulsants)[10]
- Others
- Carbamazepine 8 mg/kg oral suspension, single oral load
- Gabapentin 900 mg/day oral at 300 mg tid for 3 days
- Lamotrigine 6.5 mg/kg single oral load
Other Considerations
- Secondary causes of seizure (e.g. hyponatremia, hypoglycemia, INH toxicity, ecclampsia)
- Nonconvulsive seizures or status epilepticus - get EEG