status epilepticus: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

No. Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by a predisposition to recurrent seizures. Status epilepticus is an acute, life-threatening complication that can occur in people with epilepsy, but also in those without a prior diagnosis.

It is treated as a medical emergency with rapid administration of benzodiazepines (first-line), followed by other intravenous anti-seizure medications. If it continues (refractory status epilepticus), treatment in an intensive care unit with anesthetic drugs may be required.

No. By definition, status epilepticus typically refers to a seizure lasting more than 5 minutes (for generalized tonic-clonic seizures) or a state of repeated seizures without recovery. A 2-minute seizure would be considered an isolated seizure.

In medical English, the term is often used as an invariable noun phrase, so 'cases of status epilepticus' is standard. The Latin plural 'status epileptici' is grammatically correct but rarely used in common clinical parlance.

A life-threatening medical emergency where a prolonged seizure occurs (typically lasting more than 5 minutes) or repeated seizures happen without full recovery of consciousness between them.

Status epilepticus is usually technical, medical in register.

Status epilepticus: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsteɪtəs ˌepɪˈlɛptɪkəs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌstætəs ˌɛpəˈlɛptəkəs/ or /ˌsteɪtəs ˌɛpəˈlɛptəkəs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.