A panel of senior clinicians critically reviews the many forms of status
epilepticus (SE), their causes, manifestations, methods of diagnosis,
and appropriate treatments. The emphasis is on the disease as
encountered by the clinician in the field and the importance of correct
recognition and diagnosis. The authors provide for each form of SE the
underlying genetic, biological, and developmental background, the
pathophysiological processes, as well as the precipitating factors that
lead to an episode. For the difficult problem of diagnosing
nonconvulsive SE, they offer detailed syndrome classifications,
differential diagnoses, descriptions of seizure "imitators," notes on
unusual behavioral and cognitive manifestations, and carefully
delineated clinical presentations. Additional highlights include
striking EEG reproductions that provide classic examples of patients in
SE, SE in very young children and neonates, and an analysis of the
cellular physiology and processes occurring during SE.