Status Epilepticus

A patient in status epilepticus has continuous or rapidly repeating seizures. Although the danger of this pattern of seizure activity has been recognized since antiquity, our understanding of the pathophysiology of status epilepticus is incomplete. The frequency of cases in the United States is approximately 102,000 to 152,000 per year, and roughly 55,000 deaths are associated with status epilepticus annually.1 Twelve to 30 percent of adult patients with a new diagnosis of epilepsy first present in status epilepticus.2,3 This review focuses on generalized status epilepticus, which is the most common form of the disorder.1,4 This is a life-threatening . . .