CHAPTER 14: ANTI-EPILEPTIC Flashcards
anticonvulsants
substances or procedures that prevent or reduce the severity of epileptic or other convulsive seizures
anti-epileptic drugs
prescription drugs that prevent or reduce the severity of epilepsy and different types of epileptic seizures, not just convulsive seizures
auto-induction
a metabolic process in which a drug stimulates the production of enzymes that enhance its own metabolism over time, which leads to a reduction in therapeutic drug concentrations
convulsion
a type of seizure involving excessive stimulation of neurons in the brain and characterized by the spasmodic contraction of voluntary muscles
electroencephalogram (EEG)
a recording of the electrical activity that arises from spontaneous currents in nerve cells in the brain, derived from electrodes placed on the outer skull
epilepsy
a general term for any of a group of neurologic disorders characterized by recurrent episodes of convulsive seizures, sensory disturbances, abnormal behavior, loss of consciousness or any combination of these
generalized onset seizures
seizures originating simultaneously in both cereal hemispheres
gingival hyperplasia
overgrowth of gum tissue and often a side effect of phenytoin
partial onset seizures
seizures originating in a more localized region of the brain (also called focal seizures)
primary epilepsy
epilepsy in which there is no identifiable cause. Also known as idiopathic
seizures
excessive stimulation of neurons in the brain leading to a sudden burst of abnormal neuron activity that results in temporary changes in brain function, primarily affecting sensory and motor activity
status epilepticus
a seizure disorder characterized by generalized tonic-clonic convulsions that occur repeatedly; considered a medical emergency
tonic-clonic seizures
seizures involving initial muscular contraction throughout the body (tonic phase), progressing to alternating contraction and relaxation (clonic phase)
