Seizures: Emergencies

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Emergencies

• Breathing stops for longer than 30 seconds. After calling 911 or other emergency services, see the topic Dealing With Emergencies.
• The seizure lasts longer than 3 minutes.
• Signs of a serious illness are present, such as:
  • Fever or shaking chills.
  • Severe headache with stiff neck, confusion, or irritability.
  • Very rapid, difficult breathing.
  • New, tiny purple or red spots (petechiae) on the skin or in the mouth.
  • Sudden increase in the number of bruises and how severe they are (purpura).
• More than one seizure occurs within 24 hours, even in a person who has a history of epilepsy.
• The person is still not responding normally 1 hour after the seizure and is:
  • Not fully awake.
  • Confused.
  • Sick to his or her stomach (nauseated) or vomiting.
  • Dizzy.
  • Unable to stand or walk.
• A seizure occurs after a sudden, severe headache.
• A seizure occurs with symptoms of a stroke. Symptoms of a stroke include:
  • Inability to move (paralysis) a part or all of one side of the body (such as the face, arm, or leg) or persistent numbness.
  • Loss of vision in one or both eyes.
  • Confusion or altered behavior, such as unusually aggressive or combative behavior.
  • Inability to speak, difficulty speaking, or difficulty understanding speech.
  • Severe dizziness (vertigo) and vomiting.
• A seizure occurs after a head injury.
• A pregnant woman has a seizure.
• A person with diabetes has a seizure.
• A seizure occurs after eating or breathing poison.
• A seizure occurs after using an illegal drug.
• A seizure occurs after drinking a large amount of alcohol (alcohol poisoning).

Note:

For information about how to help a seizure victim, see protecting a person from harm during a seizure.

Last updated:	September 17, 2007
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer