Volume 73 Number 7 November 2006	back to contents

Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, and Director of Consultation Liaison Service, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY.

Address all correspondence to Silvana Riggio, M.D., Department of Psychiatry, Box 1230, Mount Sinai Medical Center, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029; email: silvana.riggio@mssm.edu.

Abstract

Nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) is clinically characterized by altered mental status and the diagnosis is confirmed by electroencephalography. Absence status (AS) and complex partial status (CPS) are the two primary types of NCSE. Patients in NCSE may exhibit a wide range of clinical presentations including subtle memory deficits, bizarre behavior, psychosis, or coma. While prognosis is dependent on the underlying etiology and possibly related to duration of the event, there is limited research in this area. Treatment focuses on correcting underlying pathologic abnormalities such as hyponatremia or drug toxicity, and initiating pharmacologic therapy. The benzodiazepines are considered the first line treatment for both AS and CPS.

Key Words

Nonconvulsive status epilepticus, absence status, complex partial status.

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