Clinical pearl of the day in pharmacy: Grand Mal epileptic seizures

Clinical Pearl of the Day: Grand Mal Seizures

A grand mal seizure causes loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions.

Overview:

• Grand mal seizures are the type most commonly associated with seizures.
• A grand mal seizure, also known as a generalized tonic-clonic seizure, is caused by abnormal electrical activity throughout the brain.
• Usually, a grand mal seizure is caused by epilepsy. However, this type of seizure can sometimes be triggered by other health conditions, such as extremely low blood sugar, high fever, or stroke.
• Many people who experience a grand mal seizure never have another one and do not need treatment. But someone who has recurring seizures may need daily treatment with anti-epileptic drugs to control and prevent future grand mal seizures.
• Symptoms include loss of consciousness, contractions and falls.
• Diagnostic includes a neurological exam, blood test, lumbar puncture, CT scan, MRI or PET scan.
• Processing includes drugs such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol), phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek), valproic acid (Depakene), oxcarbazepine (Oxtellar, Trileptal), lamotrigine (Lamictal), gabapentin (Gralise, Neurontin ), topiramate (Topamax), phenobarbital, and zonisamide (Zonegran)

Sources:

Grand Mal Seizure – Diagnosis and Treatment – Mayo Clinic

grand mal pictures – Google Search