Apr 25, 2021
Written By: Chris Cochrane, FM Resident in Medicine Hat
Peer Review By: Kevin Duncan, EM Resident in Kelowna
Objective One:
a) In a patient having a seizure:
Ensure proper airway control (e.g., oropharyngeal airway or nasal trumpet, lateral decubitus to prevent aspiration).
b) Use drugs (e.g., benzodiazepines, phenytoin) promptly to stop the seizure, even before the etiology is confirmed.
c) Rule out reversible metabolic causes in a timely fashion (e.g., hypoglycemia, hypoxia, heat stroke, electrolytes abnormalities).
Objective Two:
In a patient presenting with an ill-defined episode (e.g., fits, spells, turns), take a history to distinguish a seizure from other events.
Objective Three:
In a patient presenting with a seizure, take an appropriate history to direct the investigation (e.g., do not over investigate; a stable known disorder may require only a drug-level measurement, while new or changing seizures may require an extensive work-up).
Objective Four:
In all patients…