Aetiology
Some causes of status epilepticus are as follows
- acute conditions
- metabolic disturbances - electrolyte abnormalities, hypoglycemia, renal failure
- sepsis
- CNS infections - meneigitis, encephalitis
- stroke - ischemic stroke, intracerebral or subarachnoid heamorahge
- head trauma (with or without epidural or subdural haematoma)
- drugs
- drug toxicity
- withdrawal from opioid, benzodiazepine, barbiturate or alcohol
- non compliance with AED’s
- hypoxia, cardiac arrest
- chronic conditions
- pre-existing epilepsy - breakthrough seizures or discontinuation of AED’s
- CNS tumour
- chronic ethanol abuse in setting of ethanol intoxication or withdrawal
In children:
- acute symptomatic SE is more common
- the most frequent cause of SE is prolonged febrile seizures
- other frequent causes of SE include - CNS infections, especially bacterial meningitis, inborn errors of metabolism.
Reference
- Trinka E, Höfler J, Zerbs A. Causes of status epilepticus. Epilepsia. 2012 Sep;53 Suppl 4:127-38.
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