Definitions
Epileptic Seizure
An epileptic seizure is a transient occurrence of signs and/or symptoms due to abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a disease characterized by an enduring predisposition to generate epileptic seizures and by the neurobiological, cognitive, psychological, and social consequences of this condition.
The diagnosis of epilepsy requires at least one of the following criteria:
- At least two unprovoked (or reflex) seizures occurring greater than 24 hours apart.
- One unprovoked (or reflex) seizure and a probability of further seizures similar to the general recurrence risk (at least 60%) after two unprovoked seizures, occurring over the next 10 years.
- Diagnosis of an epilepsy syndrome.
Epilepsy is considered to be resolved for individuals who had an age-dependent epilepsy syndrome but are now past the applicable age or those who have remained seizure-free for the last 10 years, with no seizure medication for the last 5 years.
Status epilepticus
Status epilepticus (SE) is either 1) continuous seizure activity or 2) two or more sequential seizures without full recovery of consciousness between seizures, that last more than a defined time period. The time period is defined as:
- 5 minutes for generalized tonic-clonic seizures
- 10 minutes for focal seizures
- 10 to 15 minutes for absence seizures
A previous definition of SE used a universal 30 minute time period, based on the duration of convulsive status epilepticus that may lead to permanent neuronal injury by itself.