Condition Lookup
Category:
Neurological Emergencies
Number of Conditions: 5
New-Onset Seizures
Specialty: Emergency and Urgent Care
Category: Neurological Emergencies
Sub-category: Seizures
Symptoms:
sudden loss of consciousness; uncontrolled jerking movements; confusion; loss of bladder or bowel control; aura (sensory or perceptual disturbances); postictal state of confusion or drowsiness
Root Cause:
Abnormal electrical activity in the brain due to various potential causes, including head trauma, infections, electrolyte imbalances, structural brain abnormalities, or unknown (idiopathic).
How it's Diagnosed: videos
History and physical examination, EEG to assess brain activity, blood tests to rule out metabolic triggers, and imaging (MRI or CT) to identify structural causes or lesions.
Treatment:
Immediate stabilization, treating any identified underlying cause, and, in some cases, starting antiepileptic medications.
Medications:
Treatment may involve levetiracetam , phenytoin , valproic acid, or lamotrigine (anticonvulsants). Medications are selected based on the seizure type and patient profile.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
About 40-70 cases per 100,000 individuals annually, with higher incidence in children and the elderly.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Head trauma, CNS infections, metabolic disturbances, drug intoxication or withdrawal, and family history of epilepsy.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Variable; some cases resolve after treating the underlying cause, while others may lead to a diagnosis of epilepsy. Early diagnosis and treatment improve outcomes.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Risk of recurrent seizures, progression to status epilepticus, injury during seizures, and psychological effects such as anxiety or depression.
Acute Meningitis
Specialty: Emergency and Urgent Care
Category: Neurological Emergencies
Sub-category: Other Neurological Conditions
Symptoms:
fever; severe headache; neck stiffness; nausea and vomiting; sensitivity to light (photophobia); altered mental status; seizures
Root Cause:
Inflammation of the meninges, often caused by bacterial, viral, or fungal infections.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical evaluation, lumbar puncture (CSF analysis), blood cultures, and imaging studies like CT or MRI (to rule out other conditions).
Treatment:
Empiric antibiotics (if bacterial is suspected), antivirals (if viral is suspected), supportive care (hydration, antipyretics, and analgesics).
Medications:
Third-generation cephalosporins (e.g., ceftriaxone or cefotaxime ), vancomycin (for resistant organisms), acyclovir (for suspected viral causes), and corticosteroids (e.g., dexamethasone ) to reduce inflammation in bacterial meningitis.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Variable; bacterial meningitis affects approximately 1-2 per 100,000 annually in developed countries.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Recent respiratory or ear infections, immunosuppression, head trauma, close contact with infected individuals, unvaccinated status.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Prompt treatment improves outcomes; mortality is 10–30% in bacterial meningitis, with long-term neurological complications in survivors.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Brain damage, hearing loss, hydrocephalus, seizures, and death if untreated.
Encephalitis
Specialty: Emergency and Urgent Care
Category: Neurological Emergencies
Sub-category: Infectious Neurological Conditions
Symptoms:
fever; headache; altered consciousness; seizures; confusion; weakness; speech difficulties
Root Cause:
Inflammation of brain parenchyma, often caused by viral infections (e.g., herpes simplex virus) or autoimmune processes.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical history, imaging (MRI), lumbar puncture (CSF analysis), EEG, and PCR testing for viral DNA/RNA.
Treatment:
Antiviral therapy, immunomodulatory therapy (if autoimmune), supportive care for seizures and intracranial pressure.
Medications:
Acyclovir (antiviral for herpes simplex encephalitis ), corticosteroids or intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) for autoimmune encephalitis .
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
5–10 cases per 100,000 annually worldwide.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Immunosuppression, travel to endemic areas, mosquito or tick bites, young or elderly age.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Variable; early treatment improves outcomes, but neurological sequelae may persist in severe cases.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Cognitive deficits, motor dysfunction, seizures, and death in severe cases.
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (SAH)
Specialty: Emergency and Urgent Care
Category: Neurological Emergencies
Sub-category: Hemorrhagic Conditions
Symptoms:
sudden severe headache (thunderclap headache); neck stiffness; nausea and vomiting; altered consciousness; seizures; focal neurological deficits
Root Cause:
Bleeding into the subarachnoid space, often caused by ruptured cerebral aneurysm or head trauma.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
CT scan (non-contrast), lumbar puncture (if CT is negative but SAH is suspected), cerebral angiography.
Treatment:
Stabilization (airway, breathing, circulation), blood pressure control, neurosurgical intervention (clipping or coiling of aneurysm).
Medications:
Nimodipine (calcium channel blocker to prevent vasospasm), antihypertensives (e.g., labetalol ), antiepileptics for seizure prevention.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
6–9 cases per 100,000 annually worldwide.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Hypertension, smoking, family history of aneurysms, polycystic kidney disease, cocaine use.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
High mortality; 50% die within 30 days; survivors may have significant neurological deficits.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Rebleeding, vasospasm, hydrocephalus, cerebral infarction, long-term cognitive impairment.
Spinal Cord Compression or Injury
Specialty: Emergency and Urgent Care
Category: Neurological Emergencies
Sub-category: Traumatic and Non-Traumatic Conditions
Symptoms:
sudden or gradual weakness; loss of sensation; bowel or bladder dysfunction; back pain radiating to limbs; paralysis in severe cases
Root Cause:
Pressure on the spinal cord from trauma, tumor, infection, or degenerative changes.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
MRI (preferred imaging), CT scan, neurological examination, X-ray (if trauma suspected).
Treatment:
Immediate stabilization, surgical decompression, corticosteroids (for inflammation), physical rehabilitation.
Medications:
Methylprednisolone (for acute trauma in selected cases), analgesics for pain, antibiotics (if infection is suspected).
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Traumatic cases affect 40–80 per million annually worldwide; non-traumatic cases vary by etiology.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Trauma (falls, accidents), tumors, osteoporosis, infection, degenerative spine diseases.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Dependent on the cause and timing of treatment; early intervention improves functional outcomes.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Permanent paralysis, chronic pain, infections (e.g., pneumonia), deep vein thrombosis, pressure ulcers.