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status epilepticus

status epilepticus

1 9.3
A serious condition when a person has ongoing seizures without waking, risking brain damage
  • noun
  • /ˈsteɪtəs ˌɛpɪˈlɛptɪkəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : estatus epiléptico
  • The doctor stated that if a patient experiences status epilepticus, immediate medical attention is necessary.

Examples

  • Status epilepticus is a potentially life-threatening condition where the sufferer has a prolonged seizure or several seizures that occur one after the other with little or no opportunity for recovery in between.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Severely elevated blood pressure, arrhythmia, shortness of breath, and, while I was examining the patient, he experienced status epilepticus.

  • In people who suffer a seizure, the risk of status epilepticus should be borne in mind, and initial management will include basic life support and decisions regarding the need for admission.

    Academic text (2012)
  • The most obvious type of seizure is the tonic-clonic type, which, if not controlled, can develop into status epilepticus (SE).

    Academic text (2012)
  • In this article, we will discuss the immediate management of the patient presenting with a seizure or in status epilepticus, and provide an overview of diagnosis, management, and the current approach to treatment of epilepsy.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Witnessing a seizure in surgery or in a public place can be an unnerving experience, but knowing how to respond can help prevent a 'fit' from progressing into life-threatening status epilepticus.

    Academic text (2012)
  • In cases where a person is in status epilepticus, rapid intervention is crucial to prevent further complications.

  • If seizures are prolonged and do not stop, this can lead to status epilepticus, which poses serious health risks.

How Severe

status epilepticus
  • Specialized
1 9.3
tonic epilepsy
  • Specialized
6.9
seizure
  • Specialized
190 5.5
focal seizure
  • Specialized
1 5.6
absence seizure
  • Specialized
1 7.5

Surface Forms

Morphology

status + epilepticus

The phrase combines 'status' (condition) with a Latinized form related to 'epileptic', so a learner who recognizes 'epileptic' or 'epilepsy' can infer it denotes an epileptic condition. However, the precise clinical sense — continuous or repeated seizures without regaining consciousness — is specialized and not predictable from the parts alone, and the Latinized form 'epilepticus' may be unknown to a B1 learner, making the expression only partially transparent.

Etymology

Status epilepticus comes from old Latin words: status meaning 'state' and epilepticus meaning 'about epilepsy'. So, status epilepticus was used to name a seizure that does not stop, and today it means long or repeated seizures without waking up between them that need immediate treatment.