MANAGEMENT OF STATUS EPILEPTICUS

The pharmacologic management of major motor status epilepticus is summ arized, When general anesthesia is required, the electroencephalogram (EEG) is used for monitoring the adequacy of treatment. The EEG findin gs may also be important in recognizing stat-us epilepticus and monito ring its response to treatment when this is clinically difficult, as w hen it occurs in comatose or pharmacologically paralyzed patients or i n the context of severe brain damage. Finally, the EEG helps to clarif y the nature of motor activities of uncertain basis in patients in the intensive care unit and has indicated that non-convulsive seizures or status are more common than clinically suspected in such patients.