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How do you approach treatment of myoclonic status epilepticus from anoxic brain injury?

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3 Answers
Mednet Member
Neurology · Columbia University
Answered on

Personal experience - I would treat with lorazepam if the myclonus makes the patient acidotic, else I would not treat it.

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Mednet Member
Neurology · Parkview Health
Answered on

I approach it the same way as other status. We started with then a second anti-seizure medication. If not controlled with move on to anesthetics: Propofol.

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Mednet Member
Neurology · ChristianaCare
Answered on · Updated on

The approach of status myoclonus is not very different from that of status epilepticus. We use anesthetic agents (midazolam, propofol, ketamine, and in some cases pentobarbital) to suppress the activity while building up anti-seizure medications in the background (levetiracetam, phenytoin, valproic acid, lacosamide, topiramate, etc). In my experience, the severity of status correlated with prognosis.

Note of caution, however, if the activity has no electrographic correlate or if it does not meet criteria for electrographic status (ie. Cortical myoclonus) then that activity may not cease with any therapy and should not be treated aggressively unless it is causing muscle breakdown and acidosis (elevated CK and/or lactate).

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