Deck 5: Seizure Disorders

Question 1

In the event a patient experiences a seizure, what is the main goal of the dental team?

A) To provide an accurate description of the seizure to arriving emergency medical personnel
B) To halt the seizure with intravenous medications
C) To prevent the patient from injuring themselves
D) To prevent the patient from injuring members of the dental team

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The drug Dilantin is an effective cure for seizure disorders; thus the dental team can be confident that a patient taking Dilantin will not experience a seizure during dental treatment.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

A seizure is caused by an imbalance of activity in the musculoskeletal system.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

It is important to physically restrain a patient who is experiencing a seizure in order to prevent the patient from harming himself.

Question 5

Status epilepticus is characterized by ____.

A) continuous seizure activity
B) seizure activity resulting from a stroke
C) very large clonic movements
D) seizure activity in a conscious patient

Question 6

If a seizure takes place in the dental office, it is very important to take note of ____.

A) the emotional state of the patient prior to the seizure
B) the specific anticonvulsant medication(s) that the patient is carrying with them
C) the exact symptoms displayed during the seizure
D) what took place before the seizure occurred

Question 7

If a patient experiences a partial seizure, jerking movements will be restricted to an isolated region of the body.

Question 8

A dental office is a likely setting for epileptic seizures because ____.

A) during a dental procedure, the patient's head must remain tilted back for a prolonged period of time
B) of the stress associated with dental treatments
C) of the medications used during many dental treatments
D) stimulating the oral cavity sometimes generates electrical impulses

Question 9

Petit mal seizures are also referred to as "____."

A) absence seizures
B) definitive seizures
C) focal seizures
D) drift seizures

Question 10

Which is NOT a potential cause of a seizure disorder?

A) dementia
B) traumatic brain injury
C) infection
D) high fever

Question 11

What is NEVER recommended in the event that a patient experiences a seizure?

A) Turning the patient onto their side following the seizure
B) Placing a tongue depressor in the patient's mouth
C) Moving the patient to the floor
D) Keeping a patient's dentures in their mouth

Question 12

Epilepsy is most often caused by hereditary factors.

Question 13

Madeline, a dental patient with epilepsy, reports smelling a strong lemon scent to the dental auxiliary. However, no one else notices this scent; suggesting Madeline is experiencing a(n) ____.

A) aura
B) perturbation
C) tonic sensation
D) olfactory impulse

Question 14

Vanessa, a dental auxiliary, reviews the medical history form of a patient, taking notice that the patient has epilepsy. What can Vanessa do to help minimize the likelihood that the patient will have a seizure?

A) She can ensure that the patient does not wait in the reception area for an extended period of time.
B) She can elevate the patient's feet during the dental exam.
C) She can administer an anticonvulsant medication to the patient.
D) She can administer an anti-anxiety medication to the patient.

Question 15

Steve suffered a grand mal seizure in the waiting room of a dental clinic. Now that the convulsions have ceased, he starts to regain consciousness and is confused about his surroundings. What phase of the seizure is Steve currently experiencing?

A) prodromal phase
B) epileptic phase
C) postictal phase
D) tonic-clonic phase

Question 16

Patient's with seizure disorders may take the drug Dilantin, which causes dilantin hyperplasia; a condition characterized by ____.

A) increased dental plaque formation
B) dentine hypersensitivity
C) the overgrowth of gingival tissue
D) the loss of tooth enamel

Question 17

What happens during the tonic stage of a grand mal seizure?

A) The patient sees flashes of light.
B) The patient's body begins to jerk violently.
C) The patient foams at the mouth.
D) The patient's body stiffens and becomes rigid.

Question 18

In what order do the three phases of a grand mal seizure occur?

A) convulsive, prodromal, postictal
B) postictal, prodromal, convulsive
C) convulsive, postictal, prodromal
D) prodromal, convulsive, postictal

Question 19

____ seizures are the most common type of seizures.

A) Petit mal
B) Grand mal
C) Complete
D) Partial