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`Harvard Health Blog Quick injection helps stop epileptic seizures - Harvard Health Blog
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`- Harvard Health Blog - https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog -
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`Quick injection helps stop epileptic seizures
`Posted By Howard LeWine, M.D. On February 23, 2012 @ 11:11 am In Health,Medical Research | Comments Disabled
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`An epileptic seizure is a frightening thing to experience, and almost as frightening to watch. The person loses consciousness and
`falls to the ground. His or her muscles contract in spasms, causing uncontrollable jerks and twitches. Spasms of the jaw muscles
`can cause the person to bite his or her tongue. Breathing becomes difficult, and may even stop briefly. Seizures cause some people
`to lose control of their bladder or bowels.
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`Fortunately, most seizures stop on their own after a couple minutes. Any that last longer than five to 10 minutes (doctors call such
`long-lasting seizures status epilepticus) are a medical emergency and must be halted with medication administered intravenously
`by a doctor or emergency medical technician. More than 50,000 people in the United States die from prolonged seizures every
`year, either from brain damage due to the seizure itself or from accidents related to passing out mid-attack.
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`A study published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that a hand-held auto-injector—much like the epi
`pens used by people with life-threatening allergies—could be used to treat seizures that don’t stop on their own. This could pave
`the way for home treatment of epileptic seizures.
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`Muscle trumps vein
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`For the trial, more than 4,000 emergency medical technicians were trained to administer seizure-stopping drugs called
`benzodiazepines two ways: through an intravenous line inserted into a vein in the arm (the current standard treatment), and with
`a device that automatically injects the drug into the thigh. Intravenous administration works faster, but it can be hard to put an
`intravenous line into the arm of someone having a seizure. Injection into the thigh takes effect a bit more slowly, but is far easier
`to do.
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`Over an 18-month period, emergency medical crews responded to 893 long-lasting seizures. Half of the people in status epilepticus
`received a benzodiazepine intravenously, the other half by thigh injection. The muscle injection worked faster and better. It
`stopped the seizure in 73% of the people before they arrived at the hospital. The intravenous route stopped the seizure in 63%.
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`Minutes matter
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`Seizures that end quickly don’t damage the brain. Those that last longer than five minutes can cause permanent brain damage and
`disability. The longer a seizure goes on past 10 minutes, the harder it is to stop it with medication. And up to one in five people die
`from a long-lasting seizure. So the sooner an anti-seizure medication can reach the brain, the better.
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`If you ever witness a seizure, stay calm and do your best to keep everyone else calm. Here are some steps you can take:
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`Call 911, or have someone else do it.
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`Time the seizure. This information will be helpful when the emergency medical crew arrives. Try to remember as many details as
`you can to tell the paramedics and doctor later.
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`Provide support. Don’t try to hold the person down or force anything into his or her mouth, even if the tongue is bleeding. To
`prevent head injury, gently position a soft, flat object like a jacket under the head. Remove any hard or sharp objects that are near
`the person.
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`When the jerking stops, gently roll the person onto his or her side. When the person wakes up, be reassuring and provide
`transportation or other help that may be needed.
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`Looking ahead
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`This one study isn’t the green light for doctors to give auto-injectors filled with anti-seizure medication to all of their patients who
`have seizures. With further testing for safety, though, that is likely to happen. This could spare these people and their families the
`agonizing wait for an ambulance to arrive in order to halt the seizure. Proper education on the use of these injectors will also be
`important.
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`In addition to auto-injectors, researchers are also testing a nasal spray containing a benzodiazepine. This could deliver the
`medication to the brain even faster than an auto-injector.
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`Related Information: Harvard Health Letter
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`Article printed from Harvard Health Blog: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog
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`URL to article: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/quick-injection-helps-stop-epileptic-seizures-201202234319
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`Copyright © 2017 Harvard Health Publishing Blog. All rights reserved.
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