Types of EEG Monitoring
This type of EEG is typically the first test ordered and is used to answer basic clinical questions in a short recording session.
What is a routine study?
Patients cannot do this while wearing an ambulatory EEG unit.
What is showering?
These seizures occur without visible physical signs but are common in ICU patients
What are non-convulsive seizures?
The first thing you should NOT do when witnessing a convulsive seizure.
What is panic?
One reason for EMU admission is to determine how often this occurs.
What is seizure frequency?
This type of study lasts more than 1 hour but less than 24 hours.
What is an extended study?
Patients use this to mark events in real time besides writing in a diary.
What is an event button?
The indication for EEG instead of CT/MRI
What is real-time monitoring of brain activity?
These should be checked to keep a seizing patient safe.
What are bed rails and head positioning?
Two additional reasons for the EMU admission of an Epilepsy patient.
What is seizure classification and medication Adjustment?
EEG monitoring lasting 24 hours to several weeks is called this.
What are prolonged or long-term studies?
This heart-monitoring lead is almost always included in ambulatory setups.
What is an EKG lead?
Software that helps non-experts recognize seizures over time is called this.
What is trending software?
When an electrographic seizure is detected without visible symptoms, this action should be taken immediately.
What is notify/report to the interpreting physician right away?
EMU helps determine where seizures originate, known as this
What is seizure localization?
This type of study is done at home over 24–96 hours and includes patient event logging.
What is an ambulatory EEG study?
One major advantage of ambulatory studies is that they occur in this type of environment.
What is a natural/home environment?
EEG use in ICU is critical because uncontrolled seizures can damage this.
What is brain tissue/function?
This EEG pattern is deliberately induced for brain protection in severe cases.
What is burst suppression?
Medications are often reduced or stopped in EMU to do this.
What is provoke seizures for recording?
This hospital-based unit monitors seizures for classification, localization, and presurgical evaluation.
What is the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU)?
A Con of Ambulatory Studies: patients may do this, compromising data quality.
What is removing/tampering with electrodes or equipment?
This severe condition involves continuous or rapidly repeating seizures without recovery.
What is status epilepticus (especially non-convulsive status epilepticus)?
If status epilepticus lasts longer than 20 hours, this outcome becomes extremely unlikely
What is going home/recovery (survival rate dramatically decreases)?
EMU helps distinguish epileptic seizures from this non-neurological condition
What are psychogenic (non-epileptic) spells?