refractory status epilepticus (RSE)

Last reviewed 01/2018

refractory status epilepticus (RSE)

Refractory status epilepticus (RSE) is when a patient is not responding to standard treatment regimens for status epilepticus.

The definition of RSE is not clear and there exist some controversies regarding this:

  • the number of AEDs to which the patient did not respond. Majority of experts consider RSE after failure of adequately dosed initial benzodiazepine and one AED.
  • duration of SE after initiation of treatment. Most experts no longer consider duration to be a criterion for classification of RSE.

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