While transporting a 41-year-old woman who is not feeling well, she begins to seize. She has no history of seizures and the seizure lasts approximately 90 seconds. After 30 seconds of being postictal and unresponsive, the woman suddenly seizes again for the remainder of the 12-minute transport. The EMT should recognize which one of the following conditions?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Status epilepticus is defined as a seizure lasting longer than 5 minutes or multiple seizures without full recovery in between. This patient experienced two seizures during transport, lasting a total of 15 minutes, which meets the criteria for status epilepticus. It is important for the EMT to recognize this condition and provide prompt intervention to prevent further complications. Undiagnosed epilepsy and partial-motor seizures may be possibilities, but status epilepticus is the immediate concern. Hypoglycemia may be a possible cause of seizures, but additional information is needed to make this determination.

While Transporting a 41-Year-Old Woman Who Is Not Feeling Well